


Cursed Love

by ThatScottishShipper



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender, Zero: Shisei no Koe | Fatal Frame III: The Tormented
Genre: Altean Lance (Voltron), Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Canonical Character Death, Curses, Depression, Don’t post to another site, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Hurt Keith (Voltron), Hurt Lance (Voltron), Hurt Shiro (Voltron), Keith (Voltron) Has Visible Galra Traits, Keith (Voltron) Whump, Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, Keith (Voltron) is a Mess, Keith/Shiro (Voltron) Angst, Lance (Voltron) Angst, Lance (Voltron) Needs a Hug, Lance (Voltron) Whump, M/M, Magical Tattoos, Pining Keith (Voltron), Shiro (Voltron) Has PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Shiro (Voltron) is a Mess, Spoilers, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-27
Updated: 2019-07-03
Packaged: 2019-09-28 17:07:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 19,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17186975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatScottishShipper/pseuds/ThatScottishShipper
Summary: Lance is drawn into the Manor of Sleep, following the ghost of a loved one, and learns that he and Keith are succumbing to a terrible curse. They mourn, they grieve, they share the pain together.*Voltron: Legendary Defender + Fatal Frame 3 crossover. Serious S8 spoilers.*





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LightOfTheLucii](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LightOfTheLucii/gifts).



In the mists of slumber, beyond the veil of the unconscious, Lance saw her.

Flowing snowfall curls, an hourglass white dress from their first date together, and the suffocating presence of love that came with her company. As the gentle snow fluttered around them, Lance barely held back a sob, watching the love of his life slowly marching towards the manor in the distance.

His Goddess, his Allura.

 

He called out her name, but she did not turn around, only heading forward as she always did in life. Lance ran after her, arm outstretched, as he cried for her once more, telling her all the things he buried in his waking hours.

How much he missed her, how he longed to be in her arms once more, how he  _ loved _ her.

Still, she stayed true to the path ahead, disappearing into the manor without acknowledging the man she loved. And lonely Lance chased after her, eager to just catch a glimpse of her face one last time, and those sparkling sapphire eyes.

  
  


Inside the dark and gloomy manor, Lance faltered. Every part of him screamed to turn back, to ignore this folly even if it was just a dream. He should have been content with her memory, for her life in every living thing, from the Juniper berries to the monument dedicated to his love.

But too many nights of loneliness, falling asleep with just that picture of them, did little to mend a broken heart, and his own crippling sense of failure, of not knowing of a way to protect such a selfless woman.

The Altean marks, a testament to Allura’s love left behind, illuminated in the darkness, like blue crescent moons. He thought he was past the crying stage, but the sight of her turning the corner, the faintest glimpse of her beautiful face empowered his emotion, and he ran after her.

Every call of her name, every turn of the corridor, and every opened door never brought him closer, but his Allura was tantalisingly within sight every time. Like a cruel metaphor for his want of her awakened, but never truly within his grasp.

As frightening and oppressive as the mansion made him feel, Lance never turned back, even when the faintest flicker of shadows gave him the sense that he was not alone…

 

When Allura finally stopped before a shrine gate and a large stone structure with closed doors, Lance too came to a halt. His heart caught in his throat, anticipation gnawing every nerve raw, and tears pricking at his eyes.

 

“Allura…?” His small voice sounded so unsure, so uncertain. 

As if in a dazed, slow motion, his Goddess finally turned around, and Lance’s happiness was short lived. The woman he knew as Allura transformed before his very eyes, her skin turned breathless blue and crawling with a strange tattoo that almost came to life before his very eyes.

The oceanic blue eyes Lance expected were hardened and soulless white, like a monster glared back at him.

 

_ No _ . This was not  _ his _ Allura, but a figment of his innermost nightmares.

The hellish envision that had masqueraded as his love took a step forward, and Lance panicked. Before he could turn and free the mansion,  _ she _ was upon him in the blink of an eye.

Lance screamed, first out of fright, then from excruciating agony as her bony hand latched onto his back.

  
  


And then he bolted upright, screaming helplessly into the night, as his back seared from an unseen cause.

 

xxx

 

The following morning gave Lance no respite from his harrowing ordeal. As he took a shower, trying to wind down from the flurry of emotions swirling inside him, he suddenly lurched forward in unbelievable pain.

Whimpering from the intensity of the hurt in his very skin, Lance scrambled from the shower, clutching the sink with one hand as he turned his back, to investigate the source of pain.

And nearly fainted from the bloomed beginning of the same holly-like tattoo that engulfed that woman’s body in his dream.

No. His  _ nightmare _ .

 

xxx

 

That very night, the Manor returned, and the ghost of his Allura, beckoning him inside once more.

His recollection of his first visit still reigned, and he had paid a hefty price, wanting to see her again. He should have stayed, should have turned back, but his heart simply wouldn't let him.

That, and there was the matter of the tattoo on his back, slowly spreading with every stab of pain. Perhaps returning to the Manor could offer answers to his plight?

As long as he didn't see the monster woman again.

 

Before he committed to his plan, Lance paused, catching sight of another running towards the Manor. The figure was dressed all in black, and he clearly cried out to another, someone Lance couldn't see.

Then he heard a familiar voice, strained with emotion.

 

“Shiro,  _ wait! _ ”

 

His indecision gone, Lance ran towards his friend, determined to stop him entering and suffering the same fate he did.

“Keith,  _ stop! _ ”

Too close for comfort, Lance clamped a hand on Keith’s shoulder, bringing the distressed man to a complete halt. But not without Keith fighting him, his anguished gaze never leaving the the front door to the Manor.

“Get  _ off _ me! I  _ have _ to see him!”

 

Lance knew of the horrors inside the Manor, and did not want someone close to him to suffer the same fate. His grip on Keith tightened, and his firm voice rang throughout the snowy field.

“No! Keith, listen to me! That’s not Shiro!” Lance pointed his finger at the Manor, determined to save his friend. “It might look like Shiro, hell, it might even sound like Shiro, but it's not him!”

Without reservation, Keith growled, shoving Lance hard in an attempt to get him off. “I don't  _ care! _ I just want to see him!”

 

Realising he was losing a battle, Lance did the only thing he could think of. He kept one had secured on Keith’s arm, the other hand tugged his shirt up, revealing the lingering bruise like tattoo. “Keith, look! If you go in there, you'll get cursed! Do you want  _ this _ to happen to you?”

Keith suddenly stopped struggling, his shocked stare penetrating Lance’s gaze. “You… got the mark too?”

Lance paled. “ _ Oh, no _ . Don't tell me you already…”

Without warning, they were both plunged into darkness, then Lance woke up.

 

xxx

 

Determined more than ever, Lance did everything in his power to contact Keith, or others that might know his whereabouts. What surprised him most was the very next night, Keith sought out Lance at his farm, throwing himself onto the couch and crossing his arms.

“So, you've got it too?” Keith murmured, glaring at his friend.

Lance nodded. “Yeah, two nights ago. I thought it was just a nightmare, but when I woke up…” He gestured towards his back before sitting next to Keith, who shifted away instinctively.

_ Now _ , Lance was worried. “How long have you been chasing him?”

Keith stared at the floor, jerking his leg with increasing irritation. “...Long enough.”

 

Clasping his hands together and leaning forward, Lance sighed. “I don't get it. What is this Manor, and why are we seeing people we know there? And sharing the nightmare? That's too much of a coincidence.”

Keith rolled his eyes. “It's not.”

Lance turned his head, clearly seeking answers. “Then what is it?”

 

“It's a place in our unconscious, but it's very much real,” Keith stated, matter of fact, tightening the grip on his arms. “It's called the Manor of Sleep. I looked into it after the first night, when I woke up, and…”

Keith trailed off, and for the first time, Lance saw the dark rings settled beneath his friend’s weary eyes, and how pale he looked. After a moment of composing himself, Keith continued.

“They say that people who dream about this place are drawn in, by people they care about, or feelings of guilt and sadness. And when you wake up, you have these marks all over you, like a tattoo.” Turmoil clouded Keith’s eyes, his voice a distant whisper.

“It gets bigger… until there's nothing left of you.”

 

Horrified, Lance struggled to form words. They had to do something, they had to reserve whatever caused this curse on them, before it was too late. However, Keith read the silence correctly and sighed.

“There's nothing we can do. No one’s survived this thing. Every piece of information I found pointed to nothing, only chasing ghosts until we're just ash.”

“We can't!” Lance insisted, staring at Keith with resolve. “There must be a way! It's just no one’s found it yet! If anyone can uncover the truth, it's us! We can do this, Keith, do it together!”

Suddenly, Keith barked back, baring his Galra teeth. “Maybe I  _ don't _ !” Suddenly, he shot forward, grunting in pain, and Lance knew without question what was wrong.

 

As droplets of sweat drizzled down Keith’s brow, Lance came over, placing a hand on Keith’s back to comfort him, only for he screaming to intensify. As if that wasn't frightening enough, a touch of darkness crept upon Keith’s cheek from his high collar.

In panic, Lance suddenly began unfastening Keith’s Blade uniform, determined to assess the damage. Lance tugged Keith’s skin tight outfit down, revealing his friend’s chest, back and arms.

And what Lance saw terrified him beyond words.

 

Keith’s entire body, burned by the roots of the cursed tattoo, swallowing every part of him. The entirety of his back vibrated with stinging thorn-like roots, pulsating with a malevolent blue aura, spreading along his arms, his chest, and even to his neck.

The agony radiated from his Galra glare, his bitten lip drawing a sliver of blood, and his heart wrenching cries felt deeply by Lance, helplessly witnessing his friend slowly riding out the pain.

Once the flare up ceased, Lance finally spoke after a long silence. “Keith… Why…? How long where you…?”

A sudden snarl caught Lance by surprise, as Keith lashed out in a raw, broken voice, unable to hide his frustration and anguish any longer. His Galra friend snapped to his feet, and he screamed.

 

“ _ At least Allura loved you _ !”

 

Those words struck Lance with dizzying precision, and he slowly realised with dawning clarity what those words meant.

The Wedding. Keith’s crossed arms, and unreadable expression. His sudden departure with the humanitarian mission. The lack of communication.

And Keith’s past actions, his unwavering loyalty towards the man he was willing to surrender the universe to save, and the long time he spent chasing his ghost through the halls of death and decay, just for a glimpse of him.

Keith surrendered himself to endless torment and a curse, because he couldn't let go of Shiro.

 

Lance saw that he was not the only one hurting in the aftermath of Allura’s sacrifice. He got to his feet and wordlessly wrapped his arms around Keith, who went limp in the embrace.

Long overdue tears from too long of sealing away the agony of unrequited love spilled, which to Keith, easily overpowered the pain of the curse. He clutched at the back of Lance’s shirt, burying his hot face against his friend and the crying began, but the healing did not.

Lance held Keith, trying to hold back his own tears because it was his heartbroken friend that needed the comfort. Though he shed no tears himself, his gentle blue Altean marks reacted to his emotions.

To Keith’s broken heart, to Lance’s continued mourning for Allura, and their cursed fate together.

 

“ _ He gave up on me _ ,” Keith sobbed, his slender shoulders shuddering. “I _ love  _ him, and he gave up on me…”

As Keith cried himself to sleep on the couch, Lance sat with him, knowing now what he had to do. He lost Allura, he failed to protect her, but he still had someone who needed his help.

 

Lance was determined to do what he had to for Keith, to save someone from the clutches of death before the curse consumed them.

No matter what the cost.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Lance researches the Manor of Sleep phenomenon in an attempt to save them, a still slumbering Keith remembers his first time dreaming of the Manor, and what brought him there.
> 
> *As usual, mega spoilers.*

As Keith slept soundly on the beat up couch, covered in a warm blanket, Lance did his own research on the Manor of Sleep well into the night.

A lukewarm coffee sat abandoned by the keyboard, as Lance searched through countless pages on his computer, trying to gain an understanding as to what was happening to him and Keith. His friend knew enough, but it was impossible to gaze upon that heartbroken man and not tell he surrendered to his fate.

And to the shadow of a Shiro.

 

Scared to sleep and still hungry for answers, Lance persisted, finding a journal written by a young lady across the world who talked of the Manor in the Snow after losing her loved ones in a plane crash that she alone survived.

Lance closed his eyes briefly, trying to take it all in.  _ That poor woman… She must have felt so alone… _ He sympathised, opening his eyes and continuing to read.

Not only did she speak of the same nightmares as Lance did, she reported a strange tattoo forming across her body, but others saw only faint bruising. Lance cocked an eyebrow.  _ So, only those that went in can see it, huh? And it gets worse, spreads... _

He gazed over at a dozing Keith, remembering the nightmarish sight of the cursed holly and snake tattoos staining his entire body.

“Don't worry, Keith,” Lance said softly, knowing his friend wouldn't hear him. “We’ll figure something out. I won't lose you too…”

 

His focus reignited, Lance spun back in his chair, returning to the cursed lady’s journal. As he continued to read, the entries became more incoherent, like there was some things Lance hadn't encountered yet. Troubled by the lack of belief in the victim, from medical professionals, by friends, she was dismissed as suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and a guilt complex after surviving such a harrowing ordeal and losing those closest to her.

She wrote of shadows resembling those she lost, of longer sleep and even strange apparitions in her waking hours. Lance shivered, fearing how terrible this could became and if Keith was already at that stage.

Eventually, the journal ended with a cryptic message that sent shivers down his spine.

_ I don’t want this dream anymore. _

 

Lance reclined in his chair, his anxious eyes lingering on the nearby picture of himself and Allura on their first date, an idyllic memory that did little to reassure him in his current living nightmare.

“Allura,” Lance whispered, touching the cool glass with his fingers. “Tell me what to do.”

Something soft and blue shimmered before him, drawing his gaze back to Keith, luring him in much the same way the Shadow of his Lover did.

His Altean facial marks reacted, and he  _ knew _ .

 

xxx

 

Endless dreams corrupted his waking hours, but Keith still remembered the first time he entered the Manor of Sleep. It was the night of the Wedding, as the young man left Earth with his Mother and Kolivan.

They felt it was for the best. Loving Krolia could tell when her Little Star was hurting, and understood - better than anyone - the suffocation of mourning. The price to pay for loving another was very steep, indeed.

She held her son’s trembling shoulders, and guided him to their ship, ready to depart on a long series of humanitarian missions that would keep them from Earth for a respectable length of time, giving Keith a chance to grieve.

 

Though her beloved son was part-Galra, it was clear as day to Krolia that he held the greatest curse of it kind, that a Galra’s heart beat for only one, a mate for life, whether the sentiment was returned or not.

Keith loved Shiro, and Krolia recognised the depths of his heart and how much it must have aches for him. She still loved her mate, Keith’s father, with the same intensity of their first time together, and she always would.

Keith was doomed to live a life with a shattered heart.

Keith’s Mother cradled her heartbroken son to sleep, unaware that his pain manifested in the realm of slumber, and that the strength of his heart endangered him.

 

As Keith stood in that snowy field for the first time, he felt lost, trying to figure out where he was, only for his confused stare to land upon the Manor, and the face of someone he desperately wanted to see.

“...Shiro…”

That familiar Captain’s uniform and white hair stood out among the thickening snowfall. Keith's heart leapt into his throat, and without thinking, he ran towards the man he longed for.

 

Arm outstretched, Keith cried his name once more, but Shiro did not turn to him, did not acknowledge that he even heard his voice. He began to walk towards the Manor, and Keith chased after him, determined not to lose him again. Even the eerie darkness that surrounded him did not deter him from his path, not even when his keen Galra eyes caught sight of movement in the corner of his vision.

All that mattered was Shiro, only Shiro.

_ Shiro _ , Keith’s panicked mind repeated,  _ I have to find him. _

_ I have to know. _

 

Eventually, Keith came across a small courtyard with a bare tree nestled in the centre, touched only by snow. Stepping down into the grounds, Keith felt his heart pounding in his chest, as he saw Shiro’s back.

Why had Shiro led him here, to this strange place? And why did he not turn to him?

Shiro just stood there, staring at the tree, finding some curious fascination with its black bark contrasted against the gentle white of the snow.

 

Keith panted softly, realising that this was the closest he came to Shiro since the day of the Wedding, another day he only saw the back of the man he loved. The man who unintentionally fractured his heart beyond repair.

“...Shiro?” Keith's soft voice penetrated the stillness. He took another step forward, hope resonating from his emotional eyes.

When Shiro turned around, that kindly smile and benevolent gaze reserved for him, Keith felt his doubt wash away. A relieved smile spread across the young man's lips.

“Shiro, you still care about me…?”

 

Keith never moved when Shiro took steps towards him, never moved when the man he loved put his arms around him, pulling him into an embrace.

And  _ oh _ . Keith sobbed lightly, melting into the hug because it had been too long since they talked, even longer since they touched.

Painful memories like Shiro’s professional authority replacing his friendly exterior for him, leaving him alone on their last night on Earth, and his unreadable reactions when Zethrid took him hostage ceased to exist because  _ this _ was  _ his _ Shiro.

Shiro, who never shied away from him, distanced himself and erected a wall between them.

Shiro, who never gave his heart to another man.

Shiro, who loved him, only him.

“Shiro…” Keith cried, burying against that comforting heat, clinging to him as if afraid this piece of heaven was fleeting. “God, I missed you…”

 

And Shiro touched Keith's scarred cheek, elation soaring his heart, then the excruciating pain erupted throughout his body.

Keith nearly staggered face, only to be kept in place by the arm he so longed for around him. The gentle hand upon his face hurt him, but not nearly as badly as the coldness in Shiro's eyes.

Betrayal gleamed in Keith’s suffering ones, and he could barely unleash his strained question.

“... _ Why…? _ ”

Shiro said nothing, only infected him with the greatest physical pain to accompany his emotional torture. Keith cried out Shiro’s name…

  
  


And Keith awoke, jerked up from his Mother’s lap and screamed into the deepest recesses of space.

 

xxx

 

Slowly, Keith learned through his Blade connections about the mysterious Manor of Sleep, of victims succumbing to longer sleeps, suffering from a searing tattoo that grew with every passing day, and eventually disappearing completely.

At least, that's what confused family and friends insisted, fearing their loved ones succumbed to insanity and left, never to be found again. A very small handful spoke of a strange ashen outline where their dear ones last slept, but they were dismissed as scaremongers.

Keith knew all this, and still he slept willingly. Every night, he went to the Manor, to the Shiro who hurt him, and embraced the blind agony.

Because all he wanted was to be held again, to feel wanted, loved...

 

His latest venture through the dingy halls led him to an unfamiliar room, with traditional Japanese decor and wooden floorboards. Keith  _ swore _ Shiro came this way, but there he stood, in an empty room, surrounded by stained walls scrolls and glistening cobwebs, a proud work of art from a long gone spider.

Keith sighed, sitting down and tucking his legs in. He normally welcomed the silence, but he craved for the sound of a familiar voice to comfort him. Pidge. Hunk. Lance. Coran. Anyone.

But mostly Shiro.

 

Burying his head against his crossed arms, Keith failed to notice the shadow lingering in the corner, whispering close to the distressed man. The misty hand slowly drawing in, drawn to life.

When Keith finally peered up, the Shadow taking the form of his beloved in an act of cruelty, he  _ welcomed _ it.

He welcomed the hand that beckoned his inevitable death, because there was only one soul that he trusted enough to end his life.

“...Shiro…”

 

A sudden burst of blue light exploded in the tiny quarters, blinding Keith. He felt no pain, not in the realm of physical, but something triggered deep inside him, a cathartic release of emotion encouraged by that beautiful blue light.

Once Keith saw it safe to open his eyes, the Shadow - Shiro - was gone, and nearby the door, arm raised and hand pulsating with that same gentle energy, was Lance. His hard eyes and Altean marks bore the same glow, as he channelled an inner energy.

As Keith stared in shock, unable to process what just happened, he saw a glimmer of light behind Lance’s shoulder, giving off the same energy as his friend did.

A face flashed in his mind, a godly smile and loving blue eyes, and Keith gasped.

_ Allura…? _

 

“...Get… away from… him…” Lance spat defiantly, before the tension released like a snap and he fell unconscious.

Keith scrambled to his feet, stretching his arms out to catch his falling friend, his voice rang out in the eternal darkness as he called his name.

“ _ Lance! _ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! Altean Magic is the Spirit Camera! I was deliberating on whether to have a Spirit Camera idea in the story, but didn't know how well I could implement it into the story, so I settled on Lance's Altean marks blessing him with the kind of magic Allura had. Handy thing, that.
> 
> The plane crash victim is Yoshino Takigawa from Fatal Frame 3, a young lady who lost her family and fiance, but she alone survived, causing her to feel great guilt and be drawn into the Manor. The online journal served as more of an exposition dump more than anything, but still leaves an element of mystery for Lance as to what happens as the curse progresses.
> 
> Focused a little more on Keith this time, writing about his first time in the Manor, how heartbroken he is at losing Shiro, and that he has been visiting the Manor willingly for a long time, much longer than Lance, and progressed quicker. It's heart wrenching stuff, but I find him very easy to write about in this sort of scenario given how much Shiro means to him and what losing him would do to him.
> 
> Thank you very much for reading and I hope you enjoy it. <3


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith wakes up to find Lance in an Altean magic induced coma, stuck in the Manor of Sleep. Frightened for the safety of his friend and overwhelmed with guilt, he seeks his Paladin friends for help.
> 
> *Voltron + Fatal Frame 3 crossover. Mega super whammy spoilers.*

The first thing Keith did when he awakened was search for Lance.

Light-headed and disoriented after just coming from such an intense sleep, his blurry vision scanned the room, only to find Lance hunched over the desk where the computer ran a screen saver, a slideshow of beloved photographs from his family and friends.

Still drained from too many nights of unrest, Keith had to drag himself from the couch on unsteady legs, but the sight of his friend unconscious spurred him into action. Stumbling towards Lance, Keith shook his shoulder, trying to rouse him.

“Lance? Lance, wake up!”

 

Growing worried as Lance stayed asleep, possibly still trapped in the Manor, Keith persisted in trying to awaken his friend. Then he saw one of Lance’s Altean marks glowing faintly, reminding him of what happened in the dream.

_ He saved me. Whatever he did, whatever Allura helped him do, he saved me. _

Guilt gnawed at him for being the cause of his friend’s current predicament. In the Manor of Sleep, alone, Lance was in danger, vulnerable. Without hesitation, Keith opened communication on the computer with the only person he knew of that had any experience with the strong energy phenomenon Lance displayed.

He called Coran.

 

xxx

 

To the Altean Adviser’s credit, Coran arrived remarkably quickly thanks to his understanding of wormholes and locations. Another thing that Keith appreciated that, as requested, Coran came alone.

Ushering his guest inside the farm with urgency, Keith showed him to where Lance rested, upon the couch after being carried over. As Coran began investigating Lance, observing the gentle glow of the markings, Keith stood beside them and watched anxiously.

_ This is my fault. He came in because of me, because I didn’t want to leave... _

 

“What’s wrong with him, Coran?” Keith asked quietly, fearing the worst and praying with all his heart for the best.

Coran twirled his moustache thoughtfully. “This is strictly speculative, but I think I might know what’s happening to him.”

Keith turned his attention to his Altean friend, his arms crossed. “...Is it serious?”

 

Placing a hand upon Lance’s head, checking his temperature, Coran began to explain, never once taking his eyes off the unconscious young man. “I believe he’s simply exhausted himself from expending too much Altean energy. Even full-blooded Alteans can tire themselves out if they release too much in such a short time.”

Coran’s saddened stare lingered upon the framed picture of Allura and Lance on the desk. “Allura herself overworked her essence from time to time, such as on Balmera. And if someone as experienced as Allura overexerted herself, then Lance surely overdid things. He’s probably still new to harbouring this sort of power.”

Keith’s eyes widened. “So, he’s recharging? Like a battery, or a drained crystal?”

“Something like that,” Coran answered, turning back to Keith, and tapping his own Altean crests, giving him a reassuring smile. “Our markings dull or fade when drained to breaking point. I suspect that once he’s had sufficient rest, he’ll be fit as a…  _ fiddle _ , as you Earthlings say? Lance just needs a full night’s rest, maybe two at most.”

 

Coran expected a sigh of relief or a relaxed expression at the news, but when Keith remained serious and tense, he grew curious. He got to his feet, dusting his hands off, before placing them on Keith’s shoulders in an effort to comfort him.

Only to receive a sharp hiss of pain from him.

The Altean man withdrew his touch instantly. “Keith, is everything alright?” Coran observed the other man carefully, unsettled by the awareness of knowledge he was not privy to.

Keith shook his head, muttering a hard delivered “I’m fine,” before sitting down on the floor next to the couch Lance slept on. He turned to his friend, torn with guilt, deliberating some unseen consideration in mind, before sighing harshly. As much as he wanted to be left alone to his grief, his dream with Shiro’s Shadow, even if it meant his inevitable death, secrecy was no longer an option.

Not since Lance was now involved and in danger because of him.

 

Keith finally spoke, regretting the endless questions he would undoubtedly be asked. “...Coran, what do you know about the Manor of Sleep?”

As expected, the Altean man tilted his head in confusion. “The Manor… of Sleep? I’m afraid I don’t follow. Is it a place on Earth?”

“You could say that,” Keith confided, despising every moment of this conversation, knowing exactly where it would lead, but he had to persevere. For Lance. “They say it’s a place someone visits in their dreams, a single Manor in a snowy field. You get lured in by what you want to see most, normally… loved ones you miss, or your own despair.”

Coran listened carefully. He must have known it was a serious discussion because his regular brand of humour was wholly absent from the situation. “And you think our Lancey boy is there?”

Keith screwed his eyes shut. “I don’t  _ think, _ Coran. I know. Because… I’ve been there too.”

Before Coran could get a word in, Keith continued. “But this isn’t about me! Lance is the one in trouble, and I don’t know what to do! I could try and go back in, but awakening him if he’s in some sort of Altean coma wouldn’t work! That’s why I’m asking you if you know of any way to wake him up sooner before -...”

Concerned, Coran stared at Keith, drawn in completely with this new information. “Before what, Keith? What’s in there?”

The lingering ghosts of loved ones, that ghastly blue lady with the same markings, and the oppressive air of loneliness and death…

Keith touched his arm thoughtfully, averting his gaze from Coran and thinking of the sight of Shiro smiling cruelly as he inflicted this curse upon him. “Our hopes and fears…”

 

xxx

 

Despite Keith’s initial reluctance, he allowed Coran to step outside, to access the others for assistance. The Altean suspected that if time was truly of the essence, with Lance’s life in danger the longer he slept, they needed to force him from his exhaustion induced coma as soon as possible.

_ Balmeran crystals _ , Coran had suggested,  _ perhaps they can restore his energy and awaken him. _

And there was only two close friends he trusted enough with this task. He placed out the call for Hunk and Pidge to retrieve the necessary energised stones and bring them to Lance’s farm as quickly as possible. Although Hunk sounded enthusiastic about returning to Balmera, most likely to reacquaint with old friends there, Coran insisted on time efficiency.

They had already lost one member of their Paladin family, but to lose another…

 

Coran strode back to the farmhouse, determined to do his part in saving Lance from the nightmare’s embrace. A downpour assaulted the landscape, dark clouds rolling across the dull skies, as chickens clucked loudly and ran for their shelters.

He threw the door open, only to find Keith standing by the window, peering out into the world beyond him. Something about his posture rattled Coran as he approached, that listless demeanor lacking any of his usual energy.

In the short time Coran had been absent, Keith seemed like an entirely different person. Transfixed by the raindrops striking the glass, Keith never acknowledged Coran’s presence, finding only life in the tears from the sky. And with a weary voice, he spoke.

“...It’s raining again…”

 

He wordlessly strode over to where Lance slept, and sat down on the floor beside him. A pained look flashed across his dark eyes, and he sighed, overcome with tiredness.

“Keith?” Coran knelt beside him. “Are you alright?”

Delayed by his own fatigue, Keith spoke, his answer long and drawn out from sleep. “...I’m fine, just… Gets harder to stay awake. I’ll… find him, protect him until… Promise me… wake him, only him…”

Then Keith slouched against the seat, surrendering to the sleep.

Panicked by the situation spiralling out of his control, Coran was greatly comforted by the sound of the arriving carrier, knowing that help was on the way. He gave the two boys a worried glance before running to the door, beckoning the former Paladins inside.

After all, he had a lot of explaining to do.

 

xxx

 

“Let me get this straight,” Pidge said, adjusting her spectacles, and shooting Coran a confused look. “You think Lance and Keith are in some sort of… shared dream space? Where something is out to get them?”

Hunk’s terrified eyes kept flicking between his sleeping friends and Coran, then Pidge. “Is this some sort of ‘ _ you-die-in-the-dream-you-die-for-real _ ’ deal, because  _ no, no, no - _ ”

Setting up the Balmeran crystals beside Lance, placed as close as possible to his temple for better absorption effect, Coran sighed. “From the little I could gleam from Keith, that might be exactly what’s happening, though I am not completely certain. It’s not a phenomenon I am familiar with, I’m afraid.”

_ “Drawn in by loved ones? _ ” Hunk repeated, scratching his chin. “Are we talking like ghosts or something? So, Lance and Keith had this… shared dream and followed someone they loved into this… Manor of Sleep?”

“Like Allura,” Coran said quietly, his tender gaze shifted onto Lance, as Hunk and Pidge exchanged sorrowful looks. “Poor lad.”

“B-But is it really Allura?” Hunk bit his nails, watching the weak pulse of Lance’s marks. “How can this be real?”

 

“Unless,” Pidge suggested, tapping away at the computer Lance once occupied, rereading the same journal he had. “It’s a strange apparition that simply takes the form of people you know by tapping into your brain waves. Like those Blade uniforms. From within dreams, that is when the neurological signals can really go into overdrive, although this is merely speculation.”

Pidge spun around in the chair, facing her friends with a grim expression. “If there is any correlation between the stories of this strange anomaly, it seems to commonly affect those experiencing grief and hurt of an... extreme degree.”

“Like Lance,” Hunk said sadly, empathy radiating from his soulful eyes. “His love for Allura, it… drew him in.”

“And then there’s Keith.” Coran remembered the enervation claiming him in the end, and the way he flinched when touched. “From the look of things, he’s dealt with this far longer than we realised. Who could he possibly…?”

“There’s only one person,” Pidge stated, emotion glimmering behind her glasses. “Only one person Keith would chase to the ends of the Earth, even in a nightmare. And if my theory is correct, that sensations of guilt and pain are associated with an invitation to this place, there’s one more thing we need to do.”

Hunk nodded, an affirming stare meeting his companion. “...We’ve got to get Shiro. Right away.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was much more of an exposition dump chapter in terms of Coran's analysis of Lance's state, and the Paladins talking about the situation their friends are in, so I hope it flows okay. My favourite bit was writing Pidge's scientific analysis of the Manor of Sleep phenomenon. I was quite proud of that and knew she's totes want to break it all down out of curiosity.
> 
> And end of chapter stinger. Shiro is coming.
> 
> Keith's creepy reaction before falling asleep is based on the Fatal Frame game where sometimes, you come across Miku at the closed curtains, whispering "It's raining again." I wanted this to also be the start of showing how hard it is for Keith to remain awake, and he's already at that late stage of falling asleep more often and for longer.
> 
> But it's also the start of Keith trying to protect Lance, who wanted to protect him, and the Circle of Life continues as it does.
> 
> Thank you very much for your time and I hope you enjoyed reading it. <3


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Shiro contemplates his fractured relationship with Keith, Lance finds himself trapped inside the Manor after falling into an Altean magic induced coma, tormented by spirits and heart wrenching memories from the past.
> 
> *Voltron+Fatal Frame 3 crossover. Mega spoilers.*

_ “Shiro, we need you right away. _

_ Lance is in danger. _

_ And Keith… he needs your help. Fast.” _

The Captain terminated the call, and wasted little time in securing transportation towards Lance’s farm. As he bid a hasty goodbye to his confused husband, Curtis, Shiro went onboard his vessel, secured it into auto pilot and permitted himself those thoughts that made for a poor companion on long space trips.

Despite leaving the battlefield behind him, Shiro stayed close to the Garrison, unable to completely part his connection with space travel and diplomatic matters completely. After all, Shiro met the friends he would come to know as his family through his connection to space and the stars. Even if Voltron disbanded, his Paladin family were his life.

That is, until Allura performed the greatest sacrifice and became one with the cosmic dust.

 

Her noble deed still kept him up at night, endlessly mulling over why. Why did Allura surrender her life? And why was he unable to do anything to save her, to prevent Lance’s broken heart? Why was he always doomed to failure when it came to protecting those he loved and cherished?

All Shiro wanted, more than anything, was to shelter his nearest and dearest from harm, to guide them through their purpose, even if it meant the cost of his own life. And it had once.

But he came back? Why didn't Allura?

 

The feelings of fear only intensified once he saw the Paladins slowly drifting apart, becoming more withdrawn, stirring his own feelings of helplessness to keep his only family together. Lance spent more time at the farm on Earth, Coran focuses on diplomatic matters, Hunk utilised his people skills in bringing bickering races together, and Pidge worked with her family to usher in a new age of technological marvel.

That left Keith, deliberating on what to do with his own life, which worried Shiro most. Since awakening in the body of his own clone, Shiro slowly pieced together little shards of memory that came from the his doppelgänger.

Of their clash upon the cloning facility, of every time Shiro brought that blade down to strike him, of hurting Keith with poisoned words, and slicing a clean cut across his cheek.

 

Shiro's face always tensed at the sight of such a mark upon Keith, the man he swore he'd never hurt. With every passing day since, that fear of hurting him amplified, whether it was by his hand or failing to halt another.

Even Shiro's relief at Keith saving him from death at the hands of Sendak was short lived by the possibility of what could have happened if it all went wrong. And once the horrifying sight of the Lions plummeting to Earth lifelessly tormented him, Shiro  _ knew _ with crystal clarity then what it all meant.

That even with the Atlas, even with his newly enhanced Altean arm, even with the absolute best of intentions, Shiro was unable to protect the ones he loved.

His precious family, whose safety he valued above all else.

And especially the Paladin called Keith.

 

Then the distancing started, breaking his heart in the process, but he convinced himself it was for the greater good. It wasn't as if they were completely separated since matters of defending the universe brought them together, but Shiro couldn't stomach the thought of Keith getting ever closer to him, only to be incinerated by the fires of his own love.

The thought of Keith hurt by his hand, or by defending him, plagued his nightmares more than he cared to admit, which caused Curtis to worry, and that worsened the guilt.

Especially after Keith was taken hostage by Zethrid, by a knowing threat all too aware of how close they had been once. That only served, in Shiro’s traumatised mind, that his closeness to Keith was as much a liability as it had been a source of strength.

 

In a moment of weakness, after the death of their beloved Allura, Shiro did what he felt was best, even as the Paladins drifted apart and Keith - his strong and noble - still observed him with those hopeful eyes.

His resolve weakened as it often did when it came to the man who never gave up on him, but unfortunately for Shiro, his own dark thoughts never left him alone either. In the quiet of the aftermath, he still convinced himself - in a time when togetherness proved a stronger element than separation - that he was a burden, useless to returning Keith's loyalty and determination to keep him safe.

And that scarred cheek always reminded him of that.

 

In the swiftest leap from first date to marriage that ever existed, Shiro gave himself to Curtis, to another that he didn't have history of hurting. As much as he loved Keith with all his heart, Shiro knew it was ultimately for the best, and that Curtis was a good man, who could make him happy.

Right?

_ Keith… You've nearly died too many times because of me… _

_ Why are you still in danger? _

 

Shiro rested his head against the glass of the nearby window, watching the stars with growing apprehension, fearing that one day, Keith might rest among them.

And it would all be Shiro's fault.

A jolt of anger seized Shiro, and he pounded his Altean fist against the wall of the ship, as he screamed in anguish. The weight of his own guilt crushed him, his inability to spare those he loved from hurt.

_ What have I done? _

 

xxx

 

Slowly, Keith came to, only to find himself in a different place within the Manor. Dusted with fresh snow, he sat up in a different courtyard from before, overshadowed by endless rows of gravestones dedicated to the lost lives of children.

Keith frowned, remembering it was Shiro that told him the tragic tale.

He slowly got to his feet, staring at the small statues symbolising the deceased, with small red scarves tied around their stone necks. Pondering over the significance of his arrival here, of all places, before remembering he had a purpose this time.

 

_ No. I've got to find Lance. He saved me, and he's stuck here somewhere. _

_ …I can't leave him. _

Refueled with determination, Keith observed his surroundings before catching sight of a door, and making his way to it. His prior visits took him to many parts of the eerie Manor, so there had to a familiar point somewhere.

There had to be.

 

xxx

 

“So, how long do you think this will take?” Pidge asked curiously, still searching the information network for as much insight as they could garner. “The longer Lance is in there, the more dangerous things get.”

“Yeah,” Hunk sighed worryingly, carefully cradling Keith’s head as he lowered him to the floor, onto the pillows he provided. “Like, I know Keith’s in there with him, but who knows what's in there? Pidge?”

The former Green Paladin turned around with a grim expression. “From the little I could gleam, it's like your worst nightmares, but everything you experience correlates into the real world. All the testimonies, for instance, validate a crucial piece of information.”

“What's that?” Hunk drew his legs up to his chest, dreading what came next.

Pidge tapped on the screen before her, illustrating the picture of a young lady’s lower back taken with the assistance of a nearby mirror. Hunk shyly averted his gaze out of embarrassment, but Pidge cleared her throat. “That everyone who experienced this dream spoke of a tattoo spreading across their body, growing more with every dream they had. But to outsiders, all that's visible is slight bruising.”

Coran suddenly flinched, recalling his earlier moment of trying to comfort Keith. “That must be why Keith reacted when I touched him. He looked like he was in pain.” The Altean frowned, guilty from unknowingly hurting his friend. “My word. If Keith's been in there longer than we realised, he might be rather… further along with these marks.”

Hunk’s loving eyes looked down at Keith. “Man, Keith, how long have you been going in there, buddy?”

 

The three lost themselves in a temporary moment of quiet, only the rainfall outside breaking the silence. Pidge stared attentively at Lance and Keith, her analytical mind always striving to find answers even in the darkest times.

“We have a plan in effect anyway,” she said, trying to remain positive for her friend’s sake. “The Balmera Crystals should help Lance wake up and escape that place, and Keith…” Her gaze softened with sorrow. “...Shiro's coming. He's the only one that can save him.”

Suddenly, Lance grimaced in his sleep,a strained sound of pain escaping him. Coran, Pidge and Hunk gathered round their friend, stressing over the fate of their Blue Paladin.

Hunk’s voice wavered, as he watched helplessly. “W-What's happening to him? Are the crystals working? Why aren't they working? Hasn't Keith found him yet?”

Darkness took over Coran's normally cheery disposition and Pidge clutched onto her nervous friend’s arm. “Because something found him first…”

 

xxx

 

Swaying spirits menacingly pursued Lance throughout the endless twisting and turning corridors that never gave him respite.

Frightened out his mind by the faceless specters always closing in, he tried to repeat his earlier trick, thrusting his hands out as he staggered along feebly, praying that same exorcist get blue light discharged from him, and evaporated the ghostly menace.

No such luck. Unaware at how depleted his newly gained powers were, Lance only drained himself further by frantically trying to unleash the Altean Magic inside him.

When he finally reached a door at the corridor’s end, Lance nearly cried out with relief. He threw himself at it, practically busting the door off its hinges through sheer adrenaline, only to falter to a stop.

Lance’s eyes widened, finally recognising somewhere in this dreaded nightmare.

 

An open garden, surrounded by colourful plants and a sole tree, vibrating with pure white light, a startling contrast to the dreary death surrounding him. And at the base of the tree, hand pressed against the glowing illuminating bark, was the love of his life, like their first date together.

_ Allura. _

Tears pricked at Lance’s eyes, the sight identical to their first date and the moment of his confession too much for him to bear. Small steps became large strides as he ran towards her, blinded by his longing love for her to care if it were an illusion like before.

All he wanted was Allura, to hold her in his arms once more.

To tell her he loved her over and over again.

But then the memory returned, of his beloved Allura transformed into the deathly pale woman that cursed him. Lance stumbled onto his knees, close enough enough to catch sight of her beautiful pink earrings glistening in the life of the tree.

“Allura… Are you my Allura?” Lance screwed his eyes shut, anticipating that he faced his inevitable demise at the hands of the imposter, though part of him felt conflicted. If the last thing he could see was his sweet Allura’s face, that gave him some comfort in his last moments.

 

Awaiting the agonising hands upon him once more, Lance sniffed, then opened his eyes. His heart felt like it stopped as his heightened senses processed something he never expected.

The scent of Juniberries, the sweetest fragrance, the flower of Altea, emanated from the spirit and enveloped him.

“...Allura?” Lance let out a sob.

 

The ghost turned around, remaining exactly as the Princess was in life, her heartwarming smile and tender blue eyes. In that rich voice that elevated Lance with the sensation of royalty, she finally spoke, kindness radiating from every syllable.

“My dear Lance…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ngl, loves, this chapter was tricky to write. Surprisingly enough, the reason is Shiro and his actions in S8, which I didn't want to shy away from, but trying to formulate reasons as to why that wasn't all LOL, EXECUTIVE DECISION MAKING made it difficult, so I hope it came out okay. I didn't want to just write him off as being in the wrong and cruel, because it would never be that simple. I like to think Shiro would still care for Keith and love him, so I went with an extended TOUGH LOVE sort of deal. I hope it didn't come out as too faffy at all.
> 
> My desire was to bring the real Allura in at some point and I thought the best way to differentiate was with the presence of Juniberries, a subtle nod to my favourite Allura-centric episode, Crystal Venom, where she recognises a fake by the lack of fragrance from Juniberries.
> 
> Thank you very much for reading and I hope you enjoy it. <3


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the Manor of Sleep, Lance and Keith face the ghosts of their past, on their quest to save one another in the cursed nightmare.
> 
> *Voltron+Fatal Frame 3 crossover. Super mega duper S8 spoilers and more angst than you can shake a stick at.*

_ It's her. It's really her. _

Lance’s tears mingled with the pulse of his Altean markings, the cascading droplets glowing as they trailed down his soft face. Even as they plummeted to the stone gravel ground, the rain of his soul left a source of life at his feet, like the Earth itself throbbed with life energy.

His own heartfelt quintessence, all for the woman he loved beyond words.

 

The thought that the Allura standing before him could have been a fake never crossed his mind, not this time. Upon hindsight, everything about the ghost of his Altean Goddess he chased so desperately felt… off. But the beautiful presence before him reassured his anxious heart, from those gentle blue eyes to the calming energy that radiated from her very being.

Like being embraced by the warmest aura, of love eternal.

 

Lance stepped forward, reaching out towards the love of his life, his entire universe. “Allura, it's you,” his voice cracked with emotion, tears never failing to fall. “I've missed you so much.”

Allura's smile nurtured Lance’s loneliness, even if only for a spell. Her benevolent nature rejuvenated the entire courtyard, bringing every wilted flower and decaying surface to life.

“My dear Lance,” Allura's spirit whispered lovingly, her clasped hands raised to her heart. Her own Altean marks responded in kind to her love, casting a tender pink glow beneath her cheeks.

Her Altean blush, as Lance affectionately nicknamed it.

She continued, sorrow clouding her sapphire eyes even as she smiled. “You need not grieve for me, Lance. My spirit lives in every living thing. It is how I am able to communicate with you now.”

 

Remembering his own words to the Altean children during his talks, that he never felt truly alone when surrounded by the beauty of nature, Lance sighed happily. However, with time, he surrender to the lonely nights without her, and the quiet days that seemed devoid of colour. He tried to remain positive, true to his own words, but her loss was deeply felt.

And he knew that Keith too mourned his own loss, even if his loved one still lived.

 

The spirit of Allura sensed his thoughts, and stepped forward, her footsteps leaving luminous echoes in her wake. “I understand you hurt. You  _ all _ do. But you cannot drift apart now, not when you share a bond beyond that of all mankind, the universe even.”

Unable to resist, Lance reached out to cup Allura's cheek, and he allowed himself a vulnerable sob, feeling her warmth beneath his fingers. If any doubt that this Allura was  _ his _ Allura existed before, touching her and feeling that lingering warmth on his hand dispelled that fear.

“I know, Allura, I know.” His heart skipped when Allura leaned her face against his hand, kissing the palm and gazing with the sweetest eyes. “I guess I just wanted to see you so badly. You leave quite the impression, you know?”

The Princess laughed softly, taking them both back to their first date, when they shared amusement at the thought of Lance in traditional Altean courting attire. The serenity they shared felt like a lifetime worth to Lance, who knew deep inside his heart that this meeting was not to last.

“I am truly blessed to be so loved. Our friends worry for you,” Allura said, tracing her own fingers along Lance’s marks. “They are by your side as we speak, attempting to rouse you from your slumber. They want to help you.”

 

Suddenly, Allura closed her eyes, and for a fleeting moment, Lance feared that she was departing from him once more. However, his worry turned to confusion when Allura's beautiful eyes opened.

“You are not alone,” Allura said, unsettled by knowledge she had acquired. “Keith is here. He's looking for you.”

Lance gasped, not expecting that news at all. “Keith's here?! Then I can't leave! Allura, he's been here longer than I have,  _ way _ longer, and he's getting worse! We have to do something!”

Allura shook her head, her pink earrings twirling from the movement. “My abilities in this domain are limited, but I can at the very least direct you towards him.” She touched Lance’s head with her fingers, channeling her sensitivity to the world around her.

 

Suddenly, their minds melded, much like the experience of training with the Paladins deca-phoebs ago. Their memories, their all their thoughts exposed to one another, and flooded them with an emotional intensity almost physical.

The happiness of love and the agony of heartache melted into a unified energy that brought Lance to his knees, and his beloved Princess with him. Tears flowed freely between them, and for a short, heavenly moment, Lance swore their heartbeats resonated together.

Among the overpowering sensation of togetherness, Lance saw through Allura's eyes, swiftly observing the shifting, everchanging Manor that reflected one’s mind. As difficult as it was, he saw a recognisable path, fast tracking through many halls and corridors, only to encounter a strange room at the end.

 

Mirrors. A room full of dusty mirrors of various shapes and sizes, all of them reflecting one familiar face.

 

“Keith!”

Without hesitation, Allura withdrew her magical touch only to place a soft kiss upon Lance’s lips. “Go to him, Lance. He's been searching for you.” She knew that time was of the essence, and her prolonged presence could endanger the man she loved.

Lance knew that too. “I love you, Allura.”

She smiled, stepping back towards the glowing tree. “And I love you too, Lance. Please, you must go to him, but remember, I am always with you.”

As Lance watched the Princess softly fade into nothing, he smiled on. Allura came to him, for a short time, but it was enough to give him that encouragement he needed to push forward.

He strode out the courtyard, giving the decaying park from his memory one last look of longing before pushing on.

 

Keith needed him, and he wasn't about to lose someone else close to him.

 

xxx

 

Shiro arrived, and the atmosphere was tense.

Although Coran welcomed the retired Captain into Lance’s home with a touching embrace and an old Altean greeting towards long absent comrades, Pidge only offered a curt “hey,” her bespectacled gaze never leaving the computer. Even Hunk’s face felt at odds with his jolly nature.

Something about the entire reunion broke Shiro's heart further, sensing that the bond between the Paladins, with him, had been severed, and had only just began to reconnect through the most dire of conditions.

The endangerment of their friends, something Shiro endured much hardship to avoid, only for it to still come full circle. His pained eyes caught sight of Keith and Lance, sleeping on.

 

Hunk being Hunk, the former Yellow Paladin was unable to resist the urge to smooth the cracks in an awkward situation, given the circumstances.

“Wow, hey there, Shiro! Long time no see!” Hunk somehow managed a tight smile. “...Um, how's married life?”

Shiro's own smile faltered for a fraction of a second, realising with a heavy heart how distant everyone became since Voltron disbanded and especially since the Wedding.

 

He remembered the cheers and the tears on what should have been the happiest day of his life, but the dark seeds of doubt and guilt still grew inside of him, burdening him with the heaviest enormity of his own actions.

Why did trying to protect those he love still feel like such a sting in his heart?

 

He attempted to recover the momentum of the conversation with an answer, but the life scarcely touched his voice. “It's terrific.” He returned the focus back to the reason he came, to assist in helping his unconscious friends. “What's happened? Why are they in danger?”

Before Hunk could explain, Pidge latched onto the discussion, her back remaining to Shiro as she typed. “They're trapped in a nightmare. It's commonly known as the Manor of Sleep, and it's been the cause of… disappearances already.”

 

Interpreting Pidge's words with familiarity, Shiro panicked, dumping his bag on the floor and rushing over to where Keith and Lance slept. The former Blue Paladin still slumbered on, his blue Altean markings radiating much stronger than earlier.

However, Keith's face was obscured by his unruly hair that had grown much longer since Shiro last saw him. He felt a painful tug at his heart, as he carefully brushed aside Keith's fringe only to reveal a tight face conveying anything but a restful sleep.

 

Shiro turned to Pidge, then to Hunk and Coran, with a determined expression. “Tell me everything.”

 

xxx

 

To Lance, Keith was surrounded by mirrors, staring wistfully at his own reflection.

To Keith, those reflections were not of himself, but a shard from his past.

 

He hadn't meant to stop. He had been fixated on finding Lance, and returning the heroic favour after being saved from harm.

One step into this peculiar room, dusted with time, had changed all that. One glance into a mirror as he shot through halted his resolve, stealing his attention completely. What Keith saw in that faded mirror was not his own reflection like he should have expected, nor the dreaded tattooed lady that cursed him.

 

A blinding violet light burst from the mirror’s surface, causing Keith to flinch as it enveloped the room in an eerie glow. Once he dared crack open an eye, he was rendered speechless by the silhouette slowly sharpening before him.

Before his shocked mind could process the first figure, another mirror unleashed a strong purple glow embracing another being. One by one, every mirror, regardless of appearance, repeated the same trick.

Keith's startled eyes took in the harrowing echo from his past, and the second most painful experience of his life.

 

In the largest mirror, the person opened his hard eyes, and Keith fell to his knees.  _ Why? Why is this happening again? _

_ All I wanted was to stay with him forever. _

_ So, why? _

 

As if on cue, Keith's back erupted with agony, causing him to buckle under the strain of the growing cursed marks on his body. Alone, he cried out from the excruciating pain, knowing that it was only a matter of time before the curse finished him.

Panting harshly, Keith regretted his failure to find Lance, tormented by the thought he still roamed the Manor, trapped by his own desire to save others. He clenched his teeth, shuddering like a wild animal ensnared, desperate for release.

 

Only then did he catch sight of the boots before him, panning upward to find  _ him _ towering above. The man who bore the face of a Paladin, infiltrating their ranks, unaware that he was a fake.

Shiro's clone.

Keith's vision, blurred with pain, observed the imposter Shiro named Kuron, free from his imprisonment in the mirror. The strife of that time, of defending himself against the man he loved, forced to harm him in order to live, and never letting go…

It all proved too much for Keith, already in physical anguish before the clone spoke those haunting words.

 

_ “Hello, Keith.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this was a mega feels chapter for so many reasons. We get bittersweet Lance and Allura, we get super awkward and sad Shiro reunion with the Paladins, and of course, the big whammy of Keith encountering Kuron. The latter was especially something I wanted to do eventually, but I opted for a much sooner introduction than planned.
> 
> Touching on the Manor of Sleep reflecting the minds of its visitors was an interesting concept I wanted to utilise here, especially in Keith's section. Lance gets the park he confessed to Allura at in "Launch Date" and Keith gets a Manor of Sleep style twist to the space station from "Black Paladins."
> 
> I have explanations for the appearances of Allura and Kuron, which I hope to touch on in the next chapter.
> 
> Thank you very much for reading and I hope you enjoy it. <3


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the Manor of Sleep, Kuron comes back for Keith, and a few choice words for his former Paladin friend, Lance.
> 
> Kuron is DONE.
> 
> *Voltron+Fatal Frame 3 crossover. Mega whopper S8 spoilers ensue.*

The first thing noticed was that penetrating stare.

The clone’s eyes were unlike what they had been before under Haggar’s control. That hardness had reminded Keith of an uncompromising black obsidian flecked with the heart of a rose quartz, a precious stone often associated with love.

And it was that same love that was  _ killing _ Keith.

 

After all this time without Shiro, his entire reason for living, Keith finally found what he was looking for, and even then, Kuron’s return still surprised him. A fitting and cruel remembrance of how the Manor of Sleep offered comfort to its guests.

He knew this wasn't Shiro, not the real Shiro, but he had been  _ his _ Shiro for a time.

This Shiro had shown him kindness, supported him, and been the Shiro to respond to his declaration of love all those deca-phoebs ago.

What if this was always meant to be, dying for  _ that _ Shiro?

 

Keith's dry mouth managed a few broken words, his emotional gaze never tearing away from him. “...Shiro… You… You came…”

The clone stood there, staring down at Keith with something softening in his arresting eyes. It was impossible not to think of that faintest break in Haggar’s spell after Keith confessed his love for him, that flicker of beautiful recognition.

When Kuron spoke, Keith realised how much he craved Shiro's voice, just hearing his name being said with that tender intimacy reserved only for him.

“Of course  _ I _ came for you,” Kuron said, kneeling down beside Keith. “I'd always come for you, Keith.”

 

The Paladin broke down, crying from all the nights his heart broke since the day he lost Shiro, and all the nights of unrequited yearning past. The depths of his love for Shiro were beyond calculation and connotative figured of speech.

To Keith, his entire existence was mirrored in Shiro. Without him, he did not really live at all.

Nestled in the back of Keith's mind was the awareness that this could be another heartless trick by the Manor, drawing him in with the intention of making him suffer before ending his life.

But to Keith, every waking hour without Shiro  _ was _ suffering. There was almost something _ right  _ about meeting his end in the arms of the man he loved when reality was far too cruel.

In the Manor of Sleep, Keith wasn't alone anymore.

 

“That's… That's all I've ever wanted,” Keith cried softly, lost in those beautiful dark eyes. “Shiro, I've missed you so much.”

Kuron reached out to caress Keith's cheek, the very one he scarred. “I know you have, Keith. And I've wanted to see you too. I'm so sorry I hurt you.”

Keith shook his head, leaning into the touch he ached for. “You don't have to apologise. You weren't yourself.”

Gazing deeply into each other's eyes, the reality of the nightmare they existed in seemed to fade away around them. One by one, the illuminated mirrors finally returned to normal, leaving only the reflective surface Kuron came through.

Eventually, Keith raised a weak hand to touch the side of Kuron’s face, surprised by the warmth beneath his fingers. “You're really here…” Keith whispered, touched by the sight of Kuron accepting the physical gesture with a smile.

“For you,” the clone answered, placing a gentle kiss against the palm of Keith's hand, and entwining their fingers together.

Whimpering from the softest touch, Keith felt himself helpless to his own heart, realising that this was what he always dreamed of. To have Shiro's attention once more, to be touched and hear his name spoken with the greatest affection.

How he  _ missed _ this.

 

Suddenly, Keith flinched, doubling over from Kuron's touch, the agony claiming him once more. As the intensifying waves of pain wracked through his entire body, with that creeping cursed tattoo swallowing his body, Keith knew that his time had come.

_ At least I won't be alone _ , he thought, still feeling those comforting hands upon him.  _ I have Shiro with me… _

_ That's all that matters… _

_ I just… don't want to be alone anymore... _

 

xxx

 

Lance ran through the Manor, trying his hardest to replicate the path that Allura's spirit showed him. With every twisting corridor, he feared that he might slip up, take a wrong turn, and doom a vulnerable Keith to his death.

He  _ knew _ Keith had stopped fighting.

If Lance messed up, they would lose another of their own, and that thought broke the former Paladin.

Revitalised by his lover’s spirit, his determination and assistance from unseen forces, Lance raised his palm and purified the path ahead, hostile spirits transcended to peace.

“Hold on, Keith! I'm coming!”

 

xxx

 

Gritting his teeth, Keith struggled to breathe, every intake of air excruciating. He cried out, his skin searing with pain from the invasive markings ensnaring every unclaimed part of his body.

Kuron touched Keith's burning face, horrified by the sight of merciless black thorns creeping upon his face, and the twisted agony on the young man's face.

“Keith!”

The clone wasted little time, tugging down Keith's Blade uniform and unveiling a hungry black serpent in his skin, drowning his soft skin with burning blue holly. What had began as a small bruise at one time quickly spread on the body of a man surrendering to his grief.

Kuron touched his warm hand against Keith's back, pressing himself close behind him, trying to comfort him. Desiring to take Keith's hurt into himself, Kuron whispered softly against the cursed man’s ear.

“Keith, I'm with you… You're not alone anymore…”

 

Suddenly, the wooden doors other room burst open, and there stood Lance, horrified by the sight. A half naked Keith, succumbing to the curse, and an exact clone of Shiro clinging to him from behind, whispering cruel love into his ear.

Lance did not hesitate to raise his hand, shooting the clone an angry look. “Get away from him, or I'll blast you clean away!”

Kuron slowly turned his head, staring at the former Blue Paladin, bearing Altean markings, and emitting a faint aura of energy around his palm. Still, he made no effort to move from Keith, keeping his hand stretched on his back.

Lance kept his focus fixated on the clone he suspected of hurting his friend. His next words came out in a growl, his patience wearing thin at the lack of response and urgent to save Keith. “ _ Move, now. _ ”

Realising that Lance was far from his jovial self, Kuron narrowed his dark eyes. “So  _ now _ you care.”

 

Perplexed, Lance nevertheless kept focused on Kuron and Keith. One false move, one mistake, and he could lose his friend. Still, something about the Shiro clone’s words unsettled the Lance.

“Of course I care,” Lance growled back, insulted that his consideration of Keith could ever be questioned, especially by someone who looked like Shiro and spoke like him too. Unless it was all just a cruel trick to sow seeds of doubt between them. “Keith’s my friend, and a fellow Paladin. We’ve been through a lot together. But the real Shiro would _ know _ that.”

 

Between Kuron and Keith’s close bodies, an eerie purple glow was visible, causing Lance to panic. That purifying blue glow radiating from the palm of the man’s hand was trained completely on the perceived threat before him.

“The _ real _ Shiro,” Kuron said thoughtfully, fixing Lance with a questioning stare. “Just who is that exactly?”

“Quit trying to mess with my head!” Lance spat, trying to remain on the task at hand. Keith was the most important thing, and he could ill afford to get distracted. “Hand Keith over, and get lost!”

With a sinister tilt of the eyebrows, Kuron gave Lance a long, unflinching stare, his hands never leaving Keith’s back, or the cup of his cheek. That violet glow cast a frightening menace across his hard features. “To  _ you, _ Lance? To  _ them? _ ” A sinister edge laced Shiro’s normally soft and loving voice.

“To _ him?  _ After everything he’s done, or should I say  _ not _ done for Keith?”

 

Kuron snorted, turning his softening attention back to an agonised Keith, barely clinging to consciousness within his own dream. Beads of sweat glistened upon his forehead, and a small pained sound left his cracked lips.

“...Shiro… Don’t leave me… Please…”

The clone stroked Keith’s scarred face affectionately, gazing tenderly into those hurting eyes. “Don’t worry, Keith…” Kuron raised his hard stare for Lance once more, proving his point, even as his gentle whisper to Keith held nothing but sincere affection.

“I will  _ never _ leave you…”

A swell of emotion drove Keith to tears, and he fell back into Kuron’s touch, starved for that comfort he craved in his waking hours. “Shiro,” Keith begged, his hand placed upon the one cupping his cheek. “I can’t lose you again…”

 

Bewildered by how easily Keith accepted the lure of the Manor’s enchantment, Lance stood in shock as Kuron began to place small kisses upon the former Paladin Leader’s back. The strange glow of purple energy emitting from the clone’s hand also came from the points he placed his lips against.

Keith closed his eyes, sighing blissfully at the affection he yearned for, lost in the sensation of feeling loved and wanted at long last.

The azure aura of the tattoo eased into that unique purple energy that Kuron left with his touch. Even the aggressive serpents of the cursed skin slowed their assault on Keith’s skin, and before Lance could quite comprehend the intimate exchange he was witnessing, he realised the enormity of what was happening.

Somehow, Kuron’s touch was slowing down the progression of the curse.

 

“...You… How did you…?”

Lance’s attempt at questioning Kuron was thoroughly ignored by the man himself. Keith gave one last sigh of Shiro’s name before collapsing back into the clone’s open arms, succumbing to fatigue.

Kuron’s loving fingers trailed along Keith’s face, saddened by the sight of those consuming marks upon him. It was then that Lance came to terms with the fact that the Shiro he saw might not be an illusion cast by the Blue Witch of the Manor.

Why else would a supposed spirit masquerading as a loved one heal the very life threatening ailment they inflicted?

And the gentleness in those eyes...

“Shiro?” Lance took a step forward, finally lowering his hand, only to be halted by Kuron’s voice.

“If you want to save Keith,” Kuron said quietly, cradling the unconscious man in his arms. “I want you to give something to  _ him. _ ”

 

The clone held out a long, shimmering crystal in his hand for Lance to take, something he did with curiosity. As he observed the black stone in his hands, the former Blue Paladin saw the faintest speckles of that were reminiscent of Kuron’s own hardened eyes from that time he went rogue and fought his way off the Castle of Lions.

Impenetrable pearls, cast against the darkest night of his eyes.

“What is this? Some sort of crystal?” Lance asked, observing the offering from every possible angle.

Kuron nodded. “Yes. When he took over my body, my essence never truly died. It became trapped between two worlds so to speak, much like the same way Black held onto him. Keith called out for the one called Shiro so I answered. My presence in the waking world is limited, but that crystal there should allow my voice to reach. Give the crystal to Pidge, and tell her. She should know what to do.”

Lance gave him a firm nod, getting down onto his knees beside them, unable to hide the worry in his eyes. “I will. I just… I want to help Keith. He’s been there for me, and I don’t want to lose him.”

Kuron tilted his head. “Then head home. I shall watch over Keith on this end. Do as I asked, and proceed from there. I need to talk to Shiro. Alone. He needs to listen.”

 

Suddenly, Lance pressed a hand against the floor by his hip, a sense of dizziness overwhelming him. He struggled to focus, and before long, the entire room was a blur. As Lance swiftly lost consciousness, Kuron’s final words accompanied him into darkness.

“How fitting that you always find me between worlds, Lance…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a heart breaker. Poor Keith just wants to be loved, and Kuron came back to give him that love. This is also the start of some very fantastical science mumbo-jumbo in terms of how Kuron and Allura are there. The next chapter will go into that in a lot more detail, but let's just say one of my favourite mechanics from Fatal Frame II is returning and Pidge will be responsible for it. Because smart Holt is smart. <3
> 
> My initial plans for Kuron were changed, given he appeared earlier than planned, but his explanation of being "trapped between worlds" much like how Shiro was because of Black is how he ended up in the Manor eventually. Keith drew him there.
> 
> Kuron's last words were also a reference to Lance encountering the real Shiro in the Lion's Quintessence field that one time. Because Lancey Lance is a special boy like that.
> 
> Thank you very much for reading, and I hope you enjoy it. <3


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In Shiro's possession is a spirit crystal from another Shiro, from Kuron, and the Paladins (mostly Pidge and Matt) formulate a plan to listen the voices of these spirit stones in order to save Keith and Lance from the Manor of Sleep.
> 
> *Voltron+Fatal Frame 3 crossover. Mega S8 spoilers and angst for all.*

When Lance came to, the first thing he saw were Kuron’s eyes staring back at him.

For a frightening spell, the former Paladin thought he was still trapped inside the Manor of Sleep with Kuron asserting his authority at his most vulnerable. He still remembered that cold, hard stare as he berated Lance for seemingly not caring enough about Keith.

Then it hit him.

Keith was still there, unconscious and at the mercy of tormenting spirits and his own personal demons. Lance shot upright, letting out a startled scream, only to be restrained by two strong hands on his shoulders and a firm, but caring voice.

 

“Lance, you’re okay, you’re safe now-”

 

The barely conscious young man span towards the source of the voice, those familiar obsidian-like eyes and panicked. He fought back against the grip upon him, his fear addled mind still trapped between reality and the nightmare.

“Keith!” Lance cried out, chest heaving from laboured breath. “He’s still in there! Inside the Manor! I need to get back!”

Shiro held onto him, trying to calm him down, only for Lance to recall the words of an impostor, and break down.

“You were there! The other you!” Lance cried, unable to dismiss the awful sight of Keith’s body swallowed with cursed glyphs. Realising that he brought Kuron’s crystal from the dream into the real world, Lance forced the stone into Shiro’s hands, desperation mounting. “You need to take this! Listen to it! Alone! You  _ have _ to, Shiro, before it’s too late!”

 

Shocked by the terror in Lance’s voice, the white haired man took hold of the pitch black crystal with pink flecks upon it, then pulled the other man into a hug, trying to settle him down. However, it was impossible for Shiro not to find himself thinking about the other man’s words. Another Shiro spoke to Lance, and wanted to talk to him?

As confusing as it all was, Shiro focused on reassuring Lance first because the poor boy was all over the place.

“Hey, everything’s going to be alright, Lance,” Shiro hushed the startled man. “I promise we’ll do everything we can to help Keith. We’re glad to have you back safe and sound.”

Suddenly, Lance buried his face against Shiro’s chest, the man he always admired as a hero, and cried, exhausted from the stress of the last few nights inside the Manor.

“Please…” Lance sobbed, clinging to the retired Captain’s shirt. “Please save him… I can’t lose anyone else… Please...”

 

xxx

 

After Lance quietened down, unleashing all the tears he kept inside on his hunt for Keith, he was guided back to the couch by Shiro, who sat with him on the left. The ever sympathetic Hunk was drawn to Lance’s right, placing a large warm hand on the young man’s shoulder.

Lance sighed, closing his eyes and falling against the former Yellow Paladin, who opened his arms and held him close.

“Poor guy,” Hunk said softly, aware of the darkened rings beneath Lance’s eyes. “He’s had it rough. But is it safe for him to go back to sleep?”

The Altean adviser, Coran, stood by the window, sparkling with raindrops. “I understand your concern, Hunk, but I fear it might be hard to keep him awake at this stage.”

“Agreed,” Pidge said with a frown. “According to the few reports I’ve managed to find, victims of the…” She neglected to say the word ‘curse,’ knowing how worried her friends were. “...dream disease begin to fall asleep for much longer. Sometimes, that’s a natural biological response to pain and stress.”

Hunk bit his lip, staring at a spent Lance sleeping in his arms. “So… you think he’ll be alright? He won’t be in trouble again? He only just woke up. We can wake him up if it gets hairy, right?”

Shiro gave Hunk a compassionate look. “I think he’ll be okay, Hunk. He’s just having a light sleep, that’s all.”

 

Remembering the crystal that Lance gave him, he lifted the precious black stone to the nearest light only to realise that nothing penetrated its mysterious eternal darkness. What Shiro did notice was the faintest speckles of pink turned red as the light touched it.

“Lance gave me this. From another me.” Shiro furrowed his brow, worried about what exactly his friends encountered in the Manor. He turned to Coran. “But how do I listen to it? Do you have any ideas, Coran?”

The Altean man came over to investigate the peculiar wand-like crystal, a whimsical curiosity overtaking him. He closed his eyes, trying to channel into the stone, but sighed, clearly having trouble. “Hm. Hardly a stone I’m familiar with, although if it resembles others in our universe… Yes, this still might work…”

Coran gave Pidge an inquisitive stare. “Pidge?”

After a brief period of frantically typing at the computer, Pidge nodded. “Matt’s on his way. He might have just what we need.”

 

xxx

 

As the Paladins waited for the Holt brother to make an appearance, Pidge gave a basic explanation of her plan - that she might know of a device capable of tapping into the crystal’s power, allowing for communication to take place.

As humans, without the natural talent of the Alteans to access the energies of the world, Pidge theorised, this invention might be the only way for everyone, especially Shiro, to listen to the voices encased within.

The only Altean present postured about Pidge’s vision, attempting to keep things light and positive. With Coran’s gentle voice ensuring success, the former Paladins almost felt like victory was within reach.

That Lance and Keith could be saved.

 

Once Matt Holt knocked at the door, giving his Paladin friends a small, awkward smile, an air of relief seemed to fall upon everyone present. Pleased to see his good friend from the Holt family, a tight knit clan, Shiro wasted little time in getting to his feet, and bridging the gap with his old friend by wrapping his arms around Matt.

“Welcome back, Matt,” Shiro greeted, patting the young man’s back.

“Good to see you again, Shiro,” Matt replied, returning the hug eagerly before pulling back and shooting the other man a cheeky grin. “How’s the Mister?”

Embarrassingly caught off guard, Shiro lowered his gaze, backing off as well. “Oh... He’s well. Enjoying the quiet life.” An awkward beat past. “How’s Sam? Slav still on his case about the socks?”

“Oh yeah,” Matt laughed softly, a curious expression dawning across his face. Whatever he had on his mind went unsaid as he stared over at Pidge, warmth spreading across his face. “My little sister. Sorry it took so long. Mission took longer than I thought.”

The preoccupied girl spun around in her chair, the sight of her brother being the final crack in her facade. Her bottom lip wobbled as she got to her feet and tackled Matt in an affectionate embrace.

“Matt,” Pidge’s sad voice cracked. “I’m so glad you’re back.”

Even Hunk greeted Matt from his place on the couch, his arm still secured around a sleeping Lance. “Hey, buddy. Thanks for coming.”

 

As Matt turned to return the sentiment, his face fell at the sight of Lance, then Keith. Their unconscious bodies were pale and so still, the very picture of unrest and unsettled. Matt almost wondered if they were actually...

Matt tightened his jaw, trying not to think of that.

“Hey, I brought what you asked for.”

 

From the confines of his bag, Matt presented the small brown box with a circular lens visible from the front, and a dial nearby. The others stared at the strange device, confused and curious as to what was so important about this invention.

“Thanks, Matt,” Pidge said with a curt smile at her brother before turning to her friends. “This is a crystal radio. It belonged to my Dad, but I figured we might benefit from utilising this little baby to our advantage.”

Shiro tried not to dwell on how subdued Pidge’s technological excitement was as she unveiled this new creation to everyone. He kneeled down, staring inside the compartment with intrigue. “So, how does it work?”

“It’s like a regular radio in the sense that it can pick up signals, but this one was designed specifically to connect to the ‘other side,’” Pidge explained matter of fact. “Thing is it’s… untested from our current theory. Matt?”

Matt smiled softly at Pidge before taking over, running his hand across the top of the radio. “Dad had this old thing stored away in the attic, said he once tried to investigate the potential link between the science of radio signals and the paranormal, but never quite sussed it out.” He glanced over to his little sister. “It’s not exactly like normal crystal radios since they don’t read into the spooky and the strong, but we thought, what if the crystals could be the key?”

“The key?” Hunk leaned close in his chair, his intellectual hunger peaked. “Like the one Lance brought back?”

Pidge tapped her chin thoughtfully, balancing backwards in her chair. “Exactly. By playing the voices of spirits or other sources of quintessence from crystals and stones. If the crystals in our universe can emit elemental frequencies and signals unique to their properties, what if those same crystals found inside the Manor are capable of retaining the energy of their owners, or those close to them?”

 

“Crystals are strong containers of quintessence and life energy,” Coran said sorrowfully, holding one of the drained Balmera rocks for close inspection. “Allura did bless these wondrous pieces of nature with her Altean magic, so perhaps the same could be said of many variations out there.”

It was evident from Coran’s pensive expression that he thought of Alfor’s beloved daughter, someone he never had the opportunity to big goodbye to after dedicating everything to protecting her.

Pidge reminded herself to test a Balmera crystal in the spirit radio once Shiro was finished.

 

Shiro stared at Kuron’s crystal, then into the empty chamber inside the radio. “So, if we place this inside the radio, we should be able to hear his voice?”

“That’s the theory,” Pidge stated, staring deeply into Shiro’s inquisitive eyes. “If this works, we might have the first functioning Spirit Stone Radio, and with it, we can gain better insight into the Manor and save Keith and Lance.”

An anxious Hunk stared up at Shiro. “Didn’t Lance say you were to listen to it alone? What if it’s a trap?”

A sternness tightened Shiro’s face, his hand gripping the black crystal tightly. His expression only softened when he glanced at Lance, and then Keith on the floor. He took a deep breath, then closed his eyes in resignation.

“Then it’s a risk I have to take.”

 

xxx

 

In the small bedroom in the attic of the farm, Shiro sat on Lance’s bed, placing the spirit radio carefully on the nearby table.

The sight of the unmade bed and another picture of Allura and Lance together hanging on the wall broke Shiro’s heart. Losing Allura had devastated Lance, and even though he tried to keep upbeat and spread his lover’s message of acceptance and love across the universe, that absence was greatly felt.

Shiro himself still felt as though he failed the Altean Princess who sacrificed so much for the Paladins and never got to see the restored Altea.

 

Those darker thoughts naturally gravitated towards Keith, and the dire realisation that he was downstairs, unconscious and trapped inside a nightmare that was slowly killing him. Pidge offered the basics of how the Manor of Sleep functioned and that victims suffering from heartache and mourning were drawn there, and that got Shiro thinking.

That explained Lance being drawn in, agonised over the loss of his love, Allura.

For Keith…

Something unpleasant brewed inside of him at the thought of Keith, lost in such a hellish place, heartbroken and alone.

 

_ Keith… I’m so sorry. _

He opened the glass lens of the radio, placed the black crystal inside, then closed it.

_ Stay strong. _

His fingers turned the dial slowly, nearly jumping as sharp static burst from the spirit radio.

_ I will find you. _

And then a very familiar voice greeted him, a cold fear shivering through his body, as painful memories returned to him.

 

“ _ Shiro… _ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Won't lie, loves. I really enjoyed writing this chapter. <3
> 
> The Spirit Stone Radio is without a doubt one of my favourite mechanics from the Fatal Frame series, and was something I was keen to include in "Cursed Love" as a plot device to facilitate communication between the Paladins in the real world and those in the Manor of Sleep, so what better way to introduce it than with Kuron's very own special crystal, right?
> 
> Trying to formulate fantastical science talk for how spirit crystals, and radios, and even how Kuron and Allura appeared in the Manor of Sleep, has been my favourite part of this story. It is something I spent lots of time talking with to my girlfriend, who the fic is gifted to, to get it just right. <3
> 
> And I just HAD to get awesome Holt sibling stuff happening again because I love those two. <3<3<3
> 
> Thank you very much for reading and I hope you enjoy it. <3


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro encounters faces from the past, including his own memories, in the Manor of Sleep.
> 
> *Voltron + Fatal Frame 3 crossover. Mega spoilers S8.*

 

Shiro sat back in the bed, resting himself against the wall, and listening to the voice from beyond worlds. A part of him long since lost since his consciousness was restored into the body of a clone.

A clone whose quintessence still lingered, finding his way back to Shiro from beyond the grave in the form of an obsidian stone with pink flecks adorning its cloudy body.

“ _ It's been awhile… _ ”

Unease swallowed Shiro up, like a violent storm, and the other Shiro knew it. He could almost  _ feel _  the taunting smile from the clone that nearly killed Keith. The clone whose body Shiro currently inhabited, so didn't that make him responsible too?

His own breathing deafened him, as he listened to himself from another time. The fear he felt was a price he had to pay to save Keith and Lance from the clutches of a nightmare that slowly took the lives of those that dared enter.

“ _...And you're still screwing everything up. _ ”

 

Shiro’s immediate rebuttal caught in his throat. He knew that the spirit of Kuron could not hear him, or respond to anything he said, but a defensive edge that lay dormant since this entire mess started.

Everything that Shiro wanted to let out was on the tip of his tongue, flirting dangerously between the never and the now, but he held back.

_ Keith and Lance _ , he reminded himself.  _ I'm doing this for Keith and Lance… _

He jerked his knee with impatient, clasping his hands together, and trying his hardest to heed his own advice.

_ Patience yields focus… An answer will come. I know it will. _

 

A crackle of static intruded his thoughts, and Kuron continued, determined to get his point across.

 

“ _ He's here because of you. _

_ Keith came here because you gave up on him. _

_ And now he's dying. _ ”

Shiro shuddered, crossing his arms across his chest, and trying to suppress the burning shame from consuming him. He acknowledged every word, like a sharpened dagger to the heart.

He hurt Keith. He didn't mean to, but he did.

“...Keith…” Shiro whispered, haunted by the sight of the tormented man downstairs, barely clinging to life.

 

“ _ Chasing ghosts, desperate for that one person to return to him… _

_ And you're it… _ ”

Shiro screwed his eyes shut, unable to remember every little of Keith without the aftermath. The distance, the lack of communication, and closeness, all enforced by him.

All because he wanted to try and protect him.

Ever aware of Shiro's thoughts at this last stage, Kuron continued to dig in with scathing words.

“ _ ‘To protect him?’ Right? _

_ That's what you tell yourself, to help you sleep at night? _

_ In the warm, loving arms of your beloved husband? _

_ While Keith remains heartbroken and alone? _

_ First, it was Adam… _ ”

A gasp left Shiro's mouth.

“ _ And now it's Keith… _

_ You really never learn Shiro… If that is who you still are these days… _ ”

Burying his face against his crossed arms, Shiro clenched his teeth, desperate to stifle the despairing cry that threatened to escape.  _ No, no, no, it's not like that. I didn't want to hurt him, all I wanted was to protect him, protect him, protect him- _

 

With another static screech, the radio flickered between the sounds of Kuron's berating voice, and strange chimes ringing out, something that did not go unnoticed by Shiro.

And Kuron himself. “ _ There's little time left. _

_ If you care at all about Keith, you need to come inside the Manor and save him. _

_ Undo the damage before you lose someone else you love. _

_ Reach the Room of Reflection without letting the Blue Witch touch you. _

_ I'll be waiting… with Keith, and a few more home truths you might not remember.” _

Then the radio went silent, as Shiro's crying rose from his chest, overpowering sobs, that exhausted him.

 

Every blink brought back a lost shard that laid waste to his already fractured mind. Since Shiro's awakening, those taunting memories distressed him, and he grew increasingly paranoid that not all of them were real.

What if they were implanted by Haggar in a last effort to control him through the clone’s body?

The only remnant that rang true was his fight to the death with Keith, his blade searing a scar upon his cheek. He knew that because the scar was there when he woke up, and was confirmed by the man in question.

And if that were true, so too was Shiro's cruel taunts, and…

What else was there?

 

A sudden flash illuminated his mind, like a snap of light that seized him, and suddenly, there were glimpses. Too fleeting and disorientating to process, but enough to distress the already traumatised man.

Keith's smile in a dark room. Keith mouthing something to him as he tried to defend himself with his back to the ground. Keith's exposed chest, adorned with scars.

_ Keith, Keith, Keith... _

Clutching his pounding head, Shiro suddenly screamed, struggling to handle the instantaneous assault of visual stimulation blinding his brain that had already been exposed to so much.

_ Not this again, please... _

Again, the mind trick hit him again, only this time, he fell unconscious...

 

xxx

 

Chimes, ringing in the darkness…

Chanting, unfamiliar to him…

The encroaching sight of a Manor in the midst of an isolated snowfield…

And then nothing...

 

xxx

 

When Shiro awakened, he recognised nothing at all, but knew exactly where he was.

Slowly, his blurring vision revealed an entrance way into a manor very reminiscent of his childhood. What differed from those clear and crisp memories, of chasing after his grandmother’s dog through the many rooms of her estate, and this gloomy manor was how lost in time the place was.

Dust frosted every surface, and cobwebs adorned every little book and cranny of what must have been a proud home. The entrance doors behind him were closed, and a firm shove confirmed his suspicions - escape would not be that simple.

 

_ ‘Of course _ .’ Shiro sighed hashly.  _ ‘Lance and Keith must have come through here once. They followed someone… _ ’

As the former Captain and Black Paladin stared down the corridor, obscured by the shadows from no light, he got to his feet, envisioning his friends running down the hall, chasing after their heart’s desire.

‘ _...or something. _ ’

 

Before Shiro took a single step, something shimmered in the front of his vision, and he nearly stumbled backwards, taken aback by the sudden movement in his eyes. It was as if for a fleeting moment, he saw the world before him like an old fashioned projector, the already derelict manor’s dull interior pallet faded further by visual interference.

And in that momentary delirium, a snapshot in time, someone Shiro never expected walking away from him, deeper into the Manor. His breath caught in his throat when the man in the vision turned towards him, his bespectacled gaze falling upon Shiro.

“...Adam?” Shiro's quiet voice caught in his tightening throat.

 

The man he last saw as a face among thousands on a memorial plaque pressed a finger to his lips, sensing his former lover was on the edge of tears. “Hold on, Takashi, just a little longer… Follow me, and all will be explained.”

With a flicker of a smile, Adam turned, proceeding down the corridor, turning the corner right at the end, and the vanishing. In an instant, Shiro's late boyfriend disappeared, and the illusion ended.

Wetness pricked at his eyes, and he ran a hand anxiously through his fringe, teetering on the edge. He so desperately wanted to believe it was Adam, to say he was sorry, but that threat from Kuron still lingered in his mind.

...Don't let the Blue Witch touch you…

 

_ ‘That's how she does it _ ,’ Shiro told himself, closing his eyes and trying not to panic.  _ ‘She shows you who you want to see most, and lures you in. She used Allura and… me to draw them in. What if she's using Adam too? _

_ If I get cursed too, saving them will become much harder, but Adam... _ ’

 

His attention was drawn to the corridors crossroads where Adam once stood in the illusion, a strange drop of colour upon the faded floorboards. Shiro carefully made his way towards it, astonished by the sparkling object at his feet.

It was a stone, a small piece of selenite glowing like the world’s smallest moon in the palm of Shiro's hand. The soft, unassuming crystal beheld a powerful message, one of compassion and reconciliation, and of forgiveness.

Adam left Shiro this gift, much like Kuron had. Adam wanted to communicate with Shiro, and gave him the proof he needed to know this Adam was the real thing.

And that reassured Shiro, but shattered his heart further, knowing somewhere along the line, Adam ended up in the Manor.

“Oh, God… I hurt everyone…”

 

xxx

 

Shiro chased after Adam, focusing only on his back as he pursued him through the Manor. He was confident that the ghost of his former lover pulled him in the right direction, to where he needed to be.

 

As entire rooms shifted around him, Shiro caught glimpses of his prior years with Adam in dizzying flashes.

In one empty hall, with parted partition doors, Shiro saw himself and Adam sharing a private laugh in a quaint corner away from prying eyes.

Among the bursting to the brim bookcases of an abandoned library, Adam guided Shiro's lips to his in what was their very first kiss together when they were supposed to be gathering research materials for a shared class.

Shiro almost  _ swore _  he felt warmth upon his lips, like an ephemeral dream.

 

Every new location unveiled a memory from his past, a private piece of happiness he shared with Adam, and it only deepened his guilt. He cut him off, pushed him away, partly because he wanted to spare the man he loved the torment of watching Shiro fade away before his eyes due to his illness.

Because he wanted to protect him, but he failed, and had only inflicted the same punishment on Keith.

Finally, Adam halted at a door to an unknown room, and he turned towards Shiro with a sad smile. The spirit raised his hand, and touched Shiro's cheek, allowing himself a moment of weakness in his mission.

 

“Takashi,” Adam whispered, softened by the sight of Shiro leaning in to the hand upon his face. “Go to him. He needs you. They both do. And please, do not deny the ones you love. Do not push them away.”

Shiro closed his eyes, a shuddering edge to his voice as he teared up. “Adam… I'm so sorry I…”

He opened his eyes, only to find himself alone by the door. The only evidence that Adam had came to him was the precious piece of selenite in his hand, and the heaviness in his heart.

‘Adam, I will listen to you soon. I promise.’

Shiro stared at the ominous wooden door, discoloured by faded talisman charms that once kept something wicked from escaping. With a deep breath, he pressed his hand against the door, sliding it open, and entering the dark room.

 

xxx

 

The Room of Reflection. The name seemed fitting on hindsight.

Filled with dusty mirrors of all shapes and sizes, Shiro became painfully aware of himself, as if he were a sordid spectacle for the amusement of a cruel audience.

Something about that attention drove his anxiety through the roof, a terrifying expectation that at any given moment, the walls could cave in, revealing hoards of bloodthirsty spectators hyped for witnessing the fight of his life, or himself at the mercy of heartless experimenters, eager only to uncover the secrets of his body, nothing more.

By this point, Shiro feared his heart would give way, and he averted his troubled stare away from the mirrors of his past, towards the very heart of the floor.

 

In the soul of the room sat the very reflection of Shiro, the man who once took his place, and nearly ended the life of all those he held dear with his hands. The replica of him simply sat there, holding a listless figure in his arms. With a slow raise of the head, the clone spoke.

“Hello again,  _ me _ ,” Kuron said quietly, those hardened eyes penetrating deep into Shiro's state of mind.

The former Captain’s fearful gaze rested only on Kuron for a time before lowering towards an unconscious Keith. The sight of the man he watched mature into an inspiring leader smothered in relentless burning black markings, slithering across every sliver of skin was more than he could take.

“Keith!”

 

Shiro stumbled over to where Keith lay in Kuron's arms, only for the clone to close his eyes in concentration. The calming glow radiating from his hands spread into Keith's cursed body, ensnaring the serpents and holly trying to swallow the young man whole.

As for Shiro, he came to a halt upon the realisation that the movement of the creatures upon Keith's body slowed with Kuron's touch. Violet purple fused with the blue flames of the curse to calm the heat trying to incinerate Keith from within.

With a furrowed brow and tense jaw, Kuron put his all into saving the Paladin’s life. His hand caressed the engraved cheek that once held Keith's scar before turning his aggressive stare back to Shiro.

 

“You gave up on him.”

Shiro was drawn to Kuron's presence, startled by the sight of his own face, contorted with smouldering rage. His energy infused hands never left Keith, but those angry eyes were reserved exclusively for his other self.

 

“The very thing you swore you'd never do… You truly have no idea what you've done, but I know.” Kuron spat out his last words in disgust. “Because I am you. I know all about you, every little thing. Even what you refuse to acknowledge or don't remember.”

Shiro finally spoke. “Then if you know me, you know why.”

“You tell me, Other Me,” Kuron bit back, a lethal edge to his voice. “Why did you turn back on someone you  _ love? _  Because  _ I _  sure as hell wouldn't. Why did I ever surrender my body to you?”

Shiro jolted, unsettled by how poisonous the word ‘love’ sounded coming from his own mouth. “I do love Keith!”

“But not the same way he  _ loves _  you, right?”

The silence was deafening, and Shiro hated himself a little more with every exchange, unaware of how much worse it was going to get. And Kuron was far from done.

“Because you ignored him,” Kuron stated with clinical precision. “Distanced yourself, barely called him by his name, and when you did talk?” The clone sighed harshly, heartbroken by Keith's own experiences. “ _ So cold _ . Then, to finish him off, you got hitched to some guy you barely know. When did you get so cruel, Takashi?”

 

Shiro wanted to fight back, defend himself, explain that he thought he was protecting Keith from himself, but the terrifying reality was staring him in the face, with his own reflection no less.

Kuron was right, and Shiro knew it.

The clones gaze softened as he stared at Keith, stroking the slumbering man’s cheek. Shiro felt that familiar stir of affection for Keith through Kuron, and for the first time, he realised the kindred spirits they truly were.

“You really don't remember, do you?” Kuron asked quietly.

Shiro flinched, that familiar storm of optical confusion heading his way. He clenched his eyes shut, trying to focus, trying to stay in the moment. “Why is this happening…?”

 

For the very first time, Kuron regarded Shiro with what resembled sympathy. “Probably from the shock. When you jumped in, and I jumped out, a part of me still existed there. Fragments of my memories anyway. I may be a clone of you, but it's still my body, with all my experiences, you were shoved into. Our bodies are hardly different from those spirit stones.”

To disorientated Shiro further, a nearby mirror flickered, crackling with static like a faulty receiver trying to tap into a signal. The glitching surface radiated Shiro's twisted face in the darkness.

“With all those memories at once, it's understandable that one could be a little overwhelmed. The brain’s a powerful machine that knows exactly how to shield us fragile beings from cracking under the pressure of it all. So, you were protected, slowly uncovering little pieces as you adjusted to your new home.”

Shiro clutched the side of his head, his entire being throbbing with pain as he tried to digest what Kuron said to him.

“Funny that the first memory happens to be the one that upset you the most. Attacking Keith.” Kuron stared at the man in his arms sadly. “And hurting him under Haggar's spell. You barely handled that before your own mind called it a day and tried to seal the rest away to protect you.”

“You mean…?” Shiro struggled to speak.

Kuron nodded, turning towards the flickering mirror, and confirming Shiro's worst fears with a snap of his fingers. “Oh, yeah. They're real. All of them.”

 

As if on cue, every mirror came to life, sparking like personalised televisions with their own broadcasts of Shiro's memories, lived by Kuron. As old and dusty as the cold surfaces were, the reflections were crisp, and hard to mistake.

They were all through Shiro's eyes as Kuron lived them, and the traumatised man could not turn away from the memories that always lurked there, forever dormant and desperate to break free, only to be on full display simultaneously.

A smiling Keith in a dark room, saying “ _ I'll never give up on you.” _

Keith embracing him by a glorious sunset, only for the other Paladins to rush over, and join in.

Every shred of sound was crystal clear, the voices between Keith and Kuron held no ambiguity. All the things that Shiro failed to remember faced him in a dizzying carousel of sights and sounds, causing his head to pound from the overload.

The memory in the largest oval shaped mirror right before Shiro brought his entire world screeching to a halt.

 

Through Kuron's eyes, the very body he inhabited after awakening from the quintessence field of the Black Lion, was Keith below him, undressed and moaning his name. Face flushed, that unmistakable Galra prosthetic stroking Keith’s cheek, and those moans.

Keith  _ moaning _  his name.

 

Shiro's eyes widened, witnessing an entire memory absent from his mind, but his heart reacted powerfully to the sight. He held his hands to his mouth, barely smothering a heart wrenching scream.

The magnitude of this discovery brought Shiro to his knees, and he gave in, broken by the revelation. Hypnotised by the sight of his own body making love to Keith that he was unaware Kuron stood over him until he talked.

 

“Imagine how heartbroken Keith must have been,” Kuron began, narrating all of Shiro's thoughts for him. “When you woke up, not remembering a thing. Being part Galra, Keith still suffers the same curse. To fall in love only once in his lifetime.”

Shiro gazed up at Kuron with wide, wet eyes. “Didn't you know? That Galra mate for life? Even though his first time-”

Lowering his head, Shiro sobbed quietly, and Kuron placed a hand upon his shoulder, continuing.

“-was with me, a clone, we… share the same body, and he figured that when you woke up, the real you, you'd remember, and take things from there. But that didn't happen.”

Kuron sighed, staring back at Keith, sleeping in the floor. “You didn't remember, never said a word about it. He wanted to chalk it down to the trauma you went through, and don't get me wrong, Shiro.”

The clone stared back at Shiro, sadness overwhelming his eyes, realising that Shiro once more stare the mirror, watching as the Keith within kissed Kuron's hand and met him with a tender look. “ _ That _  wasn't your fault. Soon after, you remembered something.”

Suddenly, Shiro answered with a shaky edge, finally letting his hands fall to his sides. “The fight. When Keith got hurt, and those things I-”

Kuron finished, regret darkening his face. “ _...I _  said. That scared you, didn’t it? Especially when you saw his face. Other memories were debatable, you thought, might even be implanted by Haggar, right?”

Shiro nodded, partly relieved for someone to completely get what plagued him for so long 

“But you couldn't deny the evidence staring you in the face, and Keith confirmed it. But he didn't blame you, not once. He was just so glad you were safe after being willing to sacrifice himself and the universe for… a clone.”

 

In an instant, the mirror before him changed back to the clash upon the cloning facility, and that sickening sight of Keith trying to defend himself from the ground, pushing his blade upward to fend off Kuron's attack.

And then the immortal words - “ _ I love you. _ ”

Shiro doubled over, unable to process everything that had been revealed to him, but to Kuron's credit, he kneeled down beside him, proceeding for the greater good. “That's why he's here, Shiro. He fought and was prepared to die for you, gave himself to you, and you pushed him away. It might have been what you thought was right, fearing you might hurt him again, but you did it anyway. You thought forcing that extra distance might spare him further down the line, that once he got over you, focused on saving the universe, he'd… find someone who deserved him, right?”

 

Shiro and Kuron turned to a slumbering Keith together, united by the same love. “You have a history, Shiro. You desire someone who can understand you, look after you. You crave being protected by someone, after a lifetime of having to be in charge, but then the fear kicks in when things get tough.”

Mirrors changed to show the last argument between Shiro and Adam, then Keith fighting against Kuron to save him, then the fight with Sendak. Kuron flinched at the sight of himself attacking Keith, but pushed through. He had to do this.

“How scared were you at the thought of disappointing them? Losing them? So much so that you no longer trusted them?”

Shiro gritted his teeth, spinning towards his clone. “I did what I thought was right. I didn't want them to suffer because of me.”

“They love you, Shiro,” Kuron stated. “They'd be hurt either way, but at least you would never be alone. Isn't that a part of why being a Paladin brought you such joy in the first place? Not only did you fulfill your dream of being in space, but you found family there.”

 

Another flicker, and a mirror bounced between several memories of Kuron, and his fellow Paladins. He was unable to mask a sad smile at the sight of his loved ones around the table, playing Monsters & Mana.

“They are our strength,” Kuron said with conviction. “Hunk, Pidge, Lance, Coran, Keith… and Allura.” With a downcast expression, he persisted. “My fondest memories were of them, and I have no doubt you feel the same way.”

“Of course I do,” Shiro lamented, surprised when the mirror reacted to his own memories. The food fight. Bonding to form Voltron. The squishy asteroid fight. His talks with Pidge about her family.

And too many heart-to-hearts with Keith to possibly count. He sighed, resigned to the awfulness of how badly he messed things up. “They mean the world to me, all of the them.”

 

Suddenly, every mirror in the room went silent, the only light source being a gentle row of candles on a nearby table, and Keith's back, pulsating with a tranquil purple glow.

“It's not too late,” Kuron assured him, gesturing over to Keith with a nod of the head. Shiro followed, and they both sat by him with melancholy glances. “You can still fix this. The longer you leave this, the longer you stay silent, the worse everything will get.”

Shiro nodded, resolve finally seizing his voice. “I will. It's my fault Keith's here. And Lance too. I'll save them both.”

With a curve of the lips, Kuron gave Shiro an amused look. “Actually, Lance might able to help you too thanks to a little divine intervention.”

Shiro cocked an eyebrow curiously. “Lance?”

“His newfound Altean powers give him a natural advantage inside the Manor,” Kuron explained. “His sensitivity to quintessence and purifying hostile spirits will prove quite usual here. The problem is he's still a beginner, and will more often than not exhaust himself. He needs a friend, some to help balance out those strong surges before he puts himself into another coma.”

“Me?” Shiro asked, astonished. “I'm no Altean Magic expert. That's more Coran's field.”

 

A familiar voice penetrated the dark. “Have a little faith, Takashi.”

 

Before Shiro's widened eyes, the spirit of Adam suddenly materialised beside Kuron, those kindly eyes still upon his former boyfriend. Shiro gave him a grateful smile, his own apologetic gaze softening for him.

“You have Adam to thank for all this information,” Kuron insisted, bestowing a smile to the man beside him. “He's been busy since he first came here, and when we met, we had a  _ lot _  to talk about. Including a way to save Lance and Keith, and pretty much anyone else a victim here.”

The man with the glasses stayed silent for a spell, contemplating how to phrase his advice, before settling his gaze upon Shiro's prosthetic arm. “Your arm holds the power, Takashi. The frequency it emits resembles the purifying capabilities that Lance possesses. Together, you might be able to level out the surge that Lance struggles with, channelling it into something truly powerful.”

“Something you'll need if you want any chance of taking on the threat,” Kuron emphasised with a steady stare.

The white haired man thought carefully, recalling his own self’s words. “...The Blue Witch?"

“Or Reika, as she was known in the past,” Adam clarified, staring sadly at Keith on the floor. “From the little information I can could gleam, she was a Priestess that underwent a ritual at the cost of her own happiness, and her own life. It… failed.”

 

Kuron let his fingers trail along Keith's back, still trying to focus on keeping the young man's demise at bay. “She brought this unholy place into existence, drawing in sleeping souls that mourn and ache for what cannot be. Some lost loved ones…” The clone briefly stared at Adam before dipping his sad eyes at Keith. “Others wander in, crushed by the weight of their own personal torment.”

_ Like me _ , Shiro reflected, unable to look away from Kuron's hands upon Keith without suffering a strange torment. “I need to find this Reika, right? With Lance?”

“And purify her,” Adam said, softness soothing the edge of the command. “To end this nightmare. It might be the only chance.”

 

Without warning, Shiro felt himself growing weary, the world around him growing less coherent. In a blurred whimsy, he slowly felt himself succumbing to the stress of every revelation. Adam and Kuron sensed it, staying still as Shiro crawled towards Keith, darkness engulfing him.

As his hand touched Keith’s shoulder, Shiro saw the pained stress upon the young man’s face, and the bewildering affliction from the thought of Keith suffering in silence.

As Shiro began to succumb to sleep, he heard the gentle reassurances of his support guiding towards his achievement, to save his loved ones.

“Save him… then think very carefully of what your heart’s desire afterwards…”

“I know you love Keith, I am you… Please, save his soul… He needs you…”

 

And then darkness, with Keith in his arms...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was meant to be two separate chapters, but this became a super WHUMP-POSITION chapter. Shiro was initially going to talk to Kuron only and balancing his hurtful actions with his traumatic experiences surrounding S8 was very hard was tricky. I hope it came across as okay.
> 
> Adam was a very late addition, so I hope his introduction was okay too. <3
> 
> Changed the rating from Teen to Mature.
> 
> Thank you very much for your time and I hope you enjoy. <3


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Shiro and Keith awaken from the Manor of Sleep, they reunite for the first time since Shiro’s Wedding.
> 
> But is it too little too late?
> 
> *Mega S8 spoilers, and angst for days.*

Shiro awakened to the sound of his own screams.

If not for the small selenite stone gifted from the deceased, he could have easily passed his experience off as just a dream, a nightmare of no consequence in his conscious reality.

But the clouds within his mind shifted, and he remembered everything.

 

xxx

 

Keith awakened to agony, and very familiar screams.

Staggering upward, into the arms of his loved ones, the delirious Blade got to his feet, the concerned cries a muffled nothingness. Keith, in his foggy state, was driven by instinct, towards the staircase ascending the heavens of Lance’s home.

Where Shiro thrashed, and screamed his throat raw, like a fallen angel plummeting.

 

Thundering upward, Keith swallowed his own fears, his own sadness, following only that horrifying melody serenading him from above. It was then that Keith remembered how long ago Shiro’s last words seemed, from the saddest say in his existence.

The Wedding Day, when he lost not only the love of his life, but his best friend.

 

He swallowed the hard lump in his throat, trying to block out that rotten sweetness corroding him from the heart outward, like a sickening ripple.

Every step echoed with the same question Keith asked himself, all these long, painful months, imprisoned in silence.

_‘Why? Why does it still hurt?’_

 

xxx

 

Suddenly, Keith arrived, stumbling to a halt by the door.

The screaming fell silent, the assaulting visions evaporating in the blink of an eye. All that existed in its place was crystal clarity, that too little had been said between them, and something shifted since their final season together.

The sight of Keith, bound by cursed love, haunted Shiro. He stifled another anguished sound, unable to shed Kuron’s harsh words, nor the memory of his clone and Keith making love.

 

“Keith,” Shiro finally said, and Keith ran to him, into his arms.

As Keith buried against the shoulder of the man he missed dearly, a sense of calmness falling into place around him. He had longed for this affection, to be held and acquaint himself with the warmth and scent of the other man.

 

A soft voice gently drifted into Keith's ears, and once he recognised them, his heart broke as the shoulder he leaned against trembled.

“I'm sorry, Keith,” Shiro sobbed softly. “I'm so sorry.”

 

xxx

 

Once the tears came to a halt, Shiro and Keith sat side by side on the bed. It took everything Keith had to part from that embrace, but he knew deep down, there was no time for falling apart.

Not when the oppressive ghosts of the Manor still smothered everything. And there was still the matter of Lance, lost and lamenting over the love of his life, Allura, searching inside still those cold halls.

There was so much Shiro wanted to say, separated by time and space. But when Shiro tried to speak, nothing came out.

He kept remembering the sight of Keith’s cursed back, and becoming overwhelmed with grief. And what could he possibly say to mend the distance between them, a fracture _he_ caused?

Repeat his apologies? Beg for forgiveness?

 

“It’s too late…”

 

As if reading Shiro’s mind, Keith’s quiet voice sliced through the night, shattering the silence like a stone through the glass veil. Shiro felt it, a dagger to the heart, and he wanted to scream until darkness claimed him again.

The older man snapped. “Keith, you can’t be serious?”

The former Red Paladin snapped back just as hard, a storm of emotion exploding forth. “I _am_ serious! You saw it, Shiro! My back! My-” He flinched, distress inflaming his pain, but he continued, trying to ignore the worry in Shiro’s eyes. “... _Everything_. I’m a lost cause. Save Lance, but don’t risk your life when I’m beyond saving.”

Shiro frowned, unable to believe what he was hearing. “I can't do that, Keith. Not when you and Lance and who knows how many others are in danger.”

“And get you lost in there too? Anymore than you already have?” Keith's tone raised, frustration burning in his dark eyes. “You're not Cursed yet. You have a chance to stay alive, live out the rest of your life-”

 

Shiro did not need to hear the rest of Keith's words to know where the sentiment was. And it only drove the dagger in further, reminding him of Kuron’s words, and those memories he forgot.

“You have a chance to be happy. You should keep it.”

“Keith,” Shiro began, a heavy heart weighing his very words. “I know things haven't been the same between us, but I won’t give up on you.”

Bitter words escaped, Keith flashed a golden glare Shiro’s way. “ _You already have.”_

 

Shiro faltered, his heart nearly stopped at the intensity of those hardened slits taking over Keith’s eyes, and the razor edge to the other man’s words. Once the Galra storm passed, Keith bit his lip, haunted by his very heart.

He hated himself. He should have been happy for Shiro.

His strong, beautiful Shiro, burdened by the cruelty of darker forces his whole life, only to come out a positive beacon of light that blessed everything his brilliance touched.

Shiro had endured so much pain, and - at a time - never knew how much time he had left to live life to the fullest.

 

Keith _should_ have been happy for Shiro, a survivor, building a new life for himself.

But in the end, that life did not include him.

 

Despite putting on a brave face every day, right up until Shiro drew so far from him that he fell into the arms of another, the harsh truth always blinded Keith from any conceivable optimism.

Shiro gave up on him, even their friendship.

He was alone again, as always.

 

As hurtful months went by, Keith mourned. A hug from his Mother or the occasional shoulder pat from Kolivan only did so much when his broken heart felt like a black hole, obliterating any particle of light that once brought him joy.

And then the dreams began, and Shiro came to him.

 

Keith knew the Shiro within the Manor was not the Shiro he met at the Garrison, but was the Shiro he _needed_. A Shiro who acknowledges him, a Shiro who reassured him with validation.

A Shiro who _remembered_.

A Shiro who made love to Keith beneath the stars at his most vulnerable time. A Shiro who returned his affection, and his declaration of love.

 

Not the Shiro that returned to life, and pushed him away time and time again. Not the Shiro that scarcely spoke to him, and then gave his heart to another.

Not the Shiro who said nothing when Zethrid held a gun to his head, and threatened his very life.

 

With a heavy heart, Keith came to believe that the Shiro who loved him back was gone, lost somewhere in the quintessence field that once kept the real Shiro safe.

He turned to face the rainfall spattered window, unable to meet those painfully soft eyes that tortured him.

 

_‘Please, Shiro, let me have this… this one thing._

_Leave me.’_

 

“It’s over,” Keith repeated quietly, already feeling the comforting embrace of sleep drawing close. “Save Lance, but… let me sleep…”

 

Shiro watched one of Keith’s hands fall to the bed, those drained muscles struggling to maintain even the body fuelled by Galra blood. His distress over Keith’s condition was suffocating, but the Captain’s determination kept him from breaking down.

He already had done in the Manor at Kuron’s words.

But he remembered Adam, his pearls of wisdom and hope. Shiro could find a way to fix this, but he needed assistance. He needed the Paladins, together again.

 

Resisting the urge to touch Keith’s aching shoulder, Shiro slowly leaned over, drawing the bedsheets over the young man’s stiff frame. His voice was gentle, reassuring, even if he felt uncertain and afraid.

“Keith,” Shiro began, gazing fondly at the man who meant so much to him. The man he failed. “I hurt you, and I’m sorry. I thought I had my reasons, but there’s no excuse for the pain I’ve caused you. I will help Lance, but know this, Keith.”

 

As he rose, heading over to the staircase, and his first foot touched the top step, Shiro gazed over to Keith, who remained transfixed on the neverending rain.

“I won’t give up on you.”

Once Shiro descended back downstairs, Keith let the tears fall, his small cries deafened by the rain drowning the Earth outside.

 

xxx

 

Every step downwards felt like hell for Shiro.

His greatest desire was to race back upstairs, throw his arms around Keith, and never leave him again. Not after the long absence by his hand.

But staying by his side, and ruminating over his actions would not save him.

 

Clutching the selenite stone in his pocket, a gift from his lost love, Shiro refocused his attention on a plan, a mission, to save his friends, his family, no matter the cost.

Returning to the living room, drawing the attention of everyone in attendance, Shiro stood straight, projecting confidence worthy of a Captain. Apprehension smothered the atmosphere, with Hunk and Coran exchanging worried glances, Matt nudging his sister, who scrutinised Shiro behind her glasses.

The drowsy Lance blinked wearily, managing a small nod, reading Shiro’s body language, and knowing what came next.

 

And Shiro confirmed it, furrowing his brow, and took ownership of the situation.

“Everyone, I might have an idea.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Keep y’all waiting, huh? Sorry about the wait.
> 
> Lots of this comes from a place of mixed feelings between the two characters, and the ending of S8. It’s a little short, but I thought it might suit given Keith is cursed and tired, and they barely know how to communicate after so long.
> 
> It’s tricky, complicated, and mixed up stuff.
> 
> I took a little Voltron break after being bogged down by negative experiences, but I’m feeling a bit better now. I hope to continue this, and Sunset Symphony casually from now on along with other fandom works.
> 
> Also, title drop. Lol.
> 
> I’m very. Tired.
> 
> Thank you very much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it. ❤️

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for my GF LightOfTheLucii, who - like me - LOVES the Fatal Frame horror game series, and gave me a little food for thought about Lance and Keith being lured into the Manor of Sleep after losing their loved ones at the end of S8. Though Lance mourns Allura's literal death, Keith's loss of Shiro is more in the sense of losing him to another man, to Curtis, and he cannot mend from that heartbreak.
> 
> Keith's been drawn into the Manor of Sleep much longer than Lance, therefore his cursed tattoo has progressed much faster. I wanted to focus on the two bonding over their lost loved ones, and left it much more open at the end by letting Lance be the hero, determined to save his friend, to be able to protect someone.
> 
> Initially, this wasn't going to be Lance-centric, but it really took a life of its own and it shows. I also hope that I didn't do a disservice to Shiro's character through Keith's unrequited love because that wasn't my intention. I honestly was a little hesitant to write about THAT EPILOGUE given how strongly I feel about it, and not in the good way, but tragically, Keith's yearning for Shiro works in this AU.
> 
> Thank you very much for checking this out and I hope you enjoyed reading it. <3


End file.
